The years go by and with them, hundreds of moments mark our lives. Good times, okay times or bad times. Moments that we will remember with a smile. Other times that have taught us valuable life lessons. And of course, sad moments too where we feel we haven’t learned anything at all. All of these moments make us who we are. They mark the decisions we make. And it is these decisions that mark the route that we follow – the roadmap of our lives.
When each year ends, I always like to do three things. Firstly, I take stock of the year. I remember the good times, try to learn from the bad times and accept the bad moments. Once I have done this, a line by the poet Antonio Machado always comes to my mind. “Traveller, there is no path. You make your own path by walking. As you walk, you forge your way and when you look back you see a path that you will never walk upon again.” For me, above all when it comes to sport, these lines have a special meaning. You always have to move forward, whether the times are good or bad. You keep on walking, following your life’s path. In life as well in sport, there is no going back. The memories of a positive training session, a successful competition or a good season will always stay with you. If things don’t go so well the memories will still be there. But whatever the result, one thing is clear. You can never go back and change it.
Therefore, whenever I finish a year I like to stop for a moment to look back and assess the different situations which I have lived through and also my reactions to them. I examine the end result and how it has changed my life always trying to learn for the next time something similar happens.
Once the conclusions are drawn, the next step is to set myself challenges, dreams and objectives for the new year in the different areas of my life. These goals, challenges and dreams are without a doubt the petrol that I need to stay motivated and continue fighting.
Last, but not least, I try to map out my route and design the path that I think can lead me to achieving my goal. I find this helps me a lot because I know at every point exactly where I am and how far I still have to go. It is also vital for me to value the people who are by my side during this journey – my team. They are the ones who are with me when times are tough and who rejoice with me in the good times. They hardly ever let me down and when sometimes they make a mistake, they do it in such a way that it becomes an opportunity for learning and growth, making our team better and stronger.
I live at this moment in time, in Madrid. My family are in Murcia, as well as my friends and part of my past. But it is in the capital where I face my challenges and dream of the future.
In the next few months in Madrid I will finish my training for the European Championships, which will take place from August 20th to 26th in Berlin. In Madrid we will all be giving it our all to be the best. In Madrid my daily routine will be spent training under Antonio Ranchal and with the help of an impressive team.
It is also in Madrid that I have the ANAR Foundation, the perfect complement to my sporting activity. If everything goes well, this foundation will ensure that my sporting career has a positive impact on society, transmitting the values of sport as well as my experience to projects in order to prevent situations of violence and vulnerability in minors.
So, bring on 2018! Ahead of me I have training sessions, trips, events, comps, activities and several projects with various institutions, businesses and media. But above all, I have ahead of me a whole load of dreams and hope for the future.
So 2018 begins, and with it, one more stage in the path of my life. Thank you for joining me and my best wishes for this new year!