The dream of Pablo Abián it has already been partially fulfilled. The Aragonese He has mastered Spanish men’s badminton and is going to attend the Olympic Games for the fourth time. To those in Tokyo this summer. Sunday he took his fifteenth national gold medal in individual, while with his brother Javier accumulated the eighth in doubles.
Although he practically has a Spanish monopoly, the Aragonese assures that “all the rivals who take to the track want to win” and therefore must leave “prepared to avoid surprises.” “For many years I have been the favorite poster and with the pressure in each game,” says Abián. This is why all his rivals “They want to give me one more point, they have an extra motivation to try to win”. That is what makes all their matches “difficult.”
But between him and his brother, who is at the same time his coach, they have managed to maintain themselves over the years. Precisely the player from Calatayud explains that he is “very happy” for everything his brother has done for him. “For many years he has been my coach and he is the person who has kept me at the highest level,” says the Aragonese and adds that Javier is also partly due to his qualification for the Olympic Games.
Not only this, but Javier and Pablo also dominate the national title in doubles. The Olympian assures that his brother “is showing year after year that the men’s double is a modality that he knows very well and that he is very good at”. “Thanks to this we are reaping a lot of titles,” he confirms.
Now, Abián has to face “with great motivation the final stretch until the Olympic Games.” He will first face the international tournament held in Spain next week. Subsequently, your preparation will already be specific for the appointment in Japan. For this he will be visited by another badminton Olympian, who will go to on behalf of Israel, Misha Zilberman. “With him I am going to prepare a training stay in Madrid,” he explains. “As of July 2, I will be with my work team, with whom I have been preparing the competitions for years, and I will be there the days before I travel”, relates the Aragonese, who is already clear about his plans from here until the time comes to go to Japan.
Already being able to attend their fourth Olympics is “a dream come true.” Abián says that when he started as a child he already set “the goal and the illusion of being able to participate in the Olympic Games.” In addition, he assures that in a sport like badminton, “which in Spain is still a minority”, it is even more significant, because for him this is “a special and different tournament.” “Attending my fourth Games means that my sporting career has been very good, that I am maintaining my maximum for many years,” he says.
In the Spanish expedition to Japan there will be Carolina Marín. Abián considers the injury of his partner “a blow for Spanish badminton”, but he promises that they will “fight with all their might to make the best possible results.” We will have to trust the Aragonese, who will also be accompanied in the Spanish expedition for the Olympic Games by Carlos Mayo, Cristina Ouviña, Begoña García and Andrés Mir.
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