her carbonel contains many values This goes beyond anyone who would guess a top-notch athlete. your commitment defense environment and the rights of sports mothersplaces it on a different ladder from the average with its intellectual, media and fashion design direction. 8 months pregnant Wednesday on the island of Vilagarcia, Cortegada waste collection He is worthy of a champion.

Welcome Galicia and thank you for actively cooperating in the care of our seas. What do you think of the Plankton project as a startup?

Thank you. I have been CECA’s ambassador for social work and financial education for several years. And when they told me about their projects, it caught my attention because my life is weightless, sea, water… I know we have a huge problem and there is no other planet to live on. . So we have to take care of it, and I’m very aware of that.

Since 2019 his name has been associated with the following projects: environmental sustainability and also social.

I believe this blindly. I am very grateful to Abanca and Afundación for their participation in these projects. We have a very, very big problem with the amount of waste reaching our seas, the microplastics in the fish we eat… Let’s hope things change, but we are in a very bad time. You feel frustrated and helpless because there is no time to waste and things seem to be getting done, but they are not enough. It’s a subject that bothers me. And I, who dive and swim profusely in all the seas of the world, see progress towards the evil we have.

He visited an island like Cortegada. If there is a strong defender of the islands and everything they have to offer, it is you.

Anything you have in these estuaries is great. It is a very beautiful country and everything natural deserves special attention. All the beaches, all the islands, all the land… All nature deserves much more care from us. I feel privileged to participate in these initiatives.

“There is a huge difference in sports at the level of motherhood and fatherhood”

In her documentary ‘Start Again’, her will is acting both as a mother and as an athlete. Make it clear that it is not easy for mothers to reconcile with their dreams as elite and Olympic athletes.

In general, like all athletes who suddenly become mothers, you are faced with situations and negativities that you are not aware of. I felt responsible for telling a story that I felt needed to be told somehow. The fact that the sport has developed so much and huge difference between athletes at the level of paternity and motherhood. It is enough to look at football, where almost all football players are fathers and very few football players are mothers due to the negativities experienced. It wasn’t easy because it was showing my private life, which I never showed, but I thought it was very important. We are very happy that the documentary has reached the whole world. In over 50 countries, in five or six languages, and hopefully it makes the road easier for everyone who comes after.

Do you think that the courage you show in describing your experiences as a breastfeeding sports mom could mean a before and after for women in this situation?

As a result, what we were looking for in this documentary was something that went far beyond synchronized swimming and sports. You don’t know the number of non-athletic people calling me for how helpful I am to reconciliation. I’m talking about my micro world of sports, but also There are many professions where it is difficult to reconcile. I always say, if I hadn’t been afraid of having to quit the sport, I would have been a mother long ago. Now the idea is that athletic women who want to be mothers don’t have this fear and feel strong and secure.

On the other hand, anyone who doubts the mental and physical needs of a sport like artistic swimming should watch his documentary.

And look how little it reflects on me. It is very difficult, it takes hours to synchronize. We get up at 5 in the morning until 9 in the evening. All in an environment of weightlessness that we are not used to. It is a very broad sport where you have to work on many aspects of your body and mind, and the path was not easy.

“I am facing withdrawal as something attractive and beautiful to continue learning”

It is understood that the fuel of all this effort is medals. Up to 23 at the Olympics, world, Europe…

Yes, but apparently that’s never enough. We are very ambitious but… My challenge in Tokyo went far beyond sports. Trying to demand reconciliation and motherhood in sport and in all sectors was a social and human challenge. It gave me strength to think that it was a beautiful thing to be educated and to suffer for it. And all this in the midst of a pandemic, the truth is that it all came together.

What would you say to a girl who wants to start sports and is your reference?

I would tell him to dream big. I’d always tell him that I’m a big dreamer too, and sometimes in society in general, because we’re afraid of failure, we don’t tend to dream of something too difficult so as not to suffer later, and vice versa. Defeat is the road to victory. I’ve had many defeats, I’ve fallen a thousand times, and we must learn from this. It’s good to understand failure as something positive.. No one wins over and losing helps you with many things. A girl should imagine that nothing will happen, she should try, because if she can’t get it now, she will get it later, and if not, this road will be worth it for what she will encounter next. That she is a dreamer and not afraid, she works hard, but always starts with a smile and an illusion. Positivism and attitude are essential.

Which is more important in sports? Medals or what the road shows?

The most important thing is always the process. My husband always tells me. When you’re an athlete you become obsessed with winning, but he always reminds me that when I’m old I won’t remember winning 3 silvers, 4 golds or 5 bronzes. You will remember the experiences and values ​​that sports bring to you and your colleagues… Enjoying the road is the most important thing.

And how do you think about the future of sports, having your second child?

I’ve been working for years to prepare for a possible retreat. That’s why I’ve done things like Masterchef, documentaries, my five books, my design collection, now I’m doing the graduation project of my diploma… I’ve also trained in other fields throughout my sports life because I know that withdrawals are not easy. In the end, the athlete lives in a bubble for 24 hours. You don’t live the real world and then the impact is huge. I know many people who have been through a difficult withdrawal. I am not afraid of retreating and I know that sooner or later it will come, I really do not know very well what I want and where to go. There are a few things that interest me, but I approach retirement as something very attractive and beautiful because I want to learn other professions as well.

Will there be a second ‘Start Over’ before Paris 2024?

I do not know. What I do know is that I will have a lot more time for Paris than for my first pregnancy in Tokyo. The truth is, I’m currently training lightly two days a week. My goal is to continue, I want normal maternity leave. I need a few months to enjoy the baby.