The road has been long, but the moment has come for the new couple. Liliana Fernández from Alicante and Paula Soria. Their debut will be at the La Paz Challenge in Mexico this Friday, and they’ll face the pre-stage of Pro Tour Elite 16 again next week at Tepic in Mexico. Lili Fernández from Benidorm is returning to the competition after becoming a mother for the second time with her new partner, Paula Soria, after 15 years of experience and success with Elsa Baquerizo. Six-time Spanish champion, participated in three Olympic games (London, 2012, Rio, 2016 and Tokyo 2020)and runner-up in Europe in 2013, among other great achievements joining the successes of her new partner Paula Soria, big promises of the national scene European sub22 sub champion in 2013, Gold satellite in Monpellier in 2014 or more recently Beach volleyball gold medalist at the Mediterranean Games At Tarragona 2018, five-time Spanish champion or two golds at the FIVB World Tour Madrid 2021 and 2022 event.
Fernández (Benidorm, 36 years old) and Soria (Orihuela, 30 years old) started training when they joined training after becoming moms for the second time last November and will be playing two tournaments. “We’re both seasoned players. We’ve known each other for many years, even though we’ve never played together. So far, these first few months have been satisfying. There is chemistry, there is fluidity, personally and in sports.. We are comfortable and relaxed”, Fernández explained to the FER Project website.
In addition, the player appreciated that both his partner and coach helped him a lot in reconciling personal and sports. “However, the moment of truth comes now, with the discussion of events. We realize that the beginning will be difficult. The ideal would be to get good results from now on, of course, but the most normal thing is we need time and patience. We accepted,” he added.
One of the doubts was Fernández’s response after spending nearly 15 years with Elsa Baquerizo, saying, “Sometimes when I talk to Paula, Elsa’s name still escapes my mind. Paula understands this very well and welcomes it with humor. I remember, a couple of months ago, switching partners was more stressful or dizzying than having a second child… But we don’t have much time for distractions.
Regarding her form, Fernández said, “Physically, I’m at ninety percent. Up until a month ago, I was still feeling heavy, slow, and sparkless. But within a few weeks, I improved significantly. I’m faster, I’m more explosive, I have more power in jumps».
Both players will retain the roles they played in the previous stages. Fernández will remain on the left and act as a blocker and Soria will be on the right as a defender, which is shown as an advantage and allows them to adapt faster.
Two athletes FER They emphasized the qualities of their partners. “I’ve always been impressed by Liliana’s physical condition, her strength, her strength, her jumping, even though she wasn’t very tall,” Soria said. Fernández said, “I’ve always loved Paula’s spirit, her competitiveness. Her demand. Never give up. She also reads the game very well.
Referring to the strong character and personality of the duo, Soria stated that if they know how to manage, this is a good direction and because they already have a lot of experience, they believe they can manage it perfectly and they work together. they both want the same thing: to win and to take part in the Paris Games. For them, the moment of truth begins.