Students on the CEU Athlete Support Programme kicked off the new academic year with a very special meeting. During the welcome ceremony, they had the opportunity to hear from our Olympic students, who were honoured for their achievements in Paris.
In a round table session moderated by the Director of Sports, José Luis Valero, programme students Ander Cepas Zapico and Miguel Ángel Navarro, bronze medallist and diploma at the Paralympic Games respectively, and Ignacio Rodríguez Mazón, diploma at the Olympic Games, shared their experience of the Games, and discussed the keys to and their concerns over balancing participation in sport at the highest level with their studies.
Ander, a student of the Bilingual Degree in ADE, who won the bronze medal for Adapted Table Tennis, recognized that one of the most difficult moments is before classification for the Games. “You have to be among the best in the world to be able to qualify for the Olympics and you live with the uncertainty over whether or not you are going to make it”. The medal winner acknowledged that “athletes work day after day. A lot of work goes on before getting to the Olympics”.
Miguel Ángel, who is studying the double degree in ADE and Journalism, was the first Spanish athlete to participate in the final of the 50 meters backstroke. He finished in 7th place and came 6th in the 100-meter backstroke. He described his participation in Paris as a “unique experience”, resulting from years of sacrifice. “Getting there was already a reward for me, an experience that I will remember my whole life, in addition to the sporting achievements”. In answer to how to achieve all this, Miguel Angel asserts that “it is necessary to have a clear objective in order to plan properly. You need to have a supportive environment, both at the University and in your family. You have to make sacrifices, but you do have time for everything. It’s like playing Tetris”.
For his part, Ignacio Rodríguez, a Medicine and Dentistry Alumni, who won a diploma for his fourth place as a member of the Spanish field hockey team, had it clear for three years that he wanted to participate in the Olympic Games. He says it is important to prepare physically and psychologically because there can be many pitfalls along the way: “It is essential to be mentally fit. In fact, it is better to step back for a while to recover and come back strong”. He has also acknowledged that the environment and the support of family and friends is fundamental.
The rector, Rosa Visiedo, brought the ceremony to a close by highlighting that “having three Olympic athletes is an honour. Your testimonies showed such humility and this helps us to recognize even more your merit and the hard work for which you had to sacrifice so many things. You are an example for us all and today we honour you”.
She also had words of gratitude for all those who make possible the CEU Athlete Support Programme, which has the support of the Spanish Olympic and Paralympic Committees, and to all the athletes who proudly represent the values, “the colours” , of our University. “CEU will
continue to stand witness to the achievements of all our athletes over the years, in the hope that their testimonies will inspire us in the pursuit of excellence, inside and outside of the classroom, because it is important to share with oneself and others in order to serve society and this is what we want to instill in all our students”.
The Vice Rector for Students and University Life, Ángel Bartolomé, and the technical coordinator of Project Management, Sara Izquierdo, were also present at the event.