Ona Carbonell /
The Catalan competitor faces her third and, almost certainly, last Games, after a “hard” preparation after her motherhood
Ona Carbonell (Barcelona, 31 years old) has come a long way to reach Tokyo. He has worked hard, like never before. She was a mother a year ago. As soon as she gave birth, she returned to training. In addition to trying to reach his third Games, he wanted to put on the table the problem of family conciliation. She has had all the advantages. Even a personal fitness trainer and a work team at your service. But she knows that not all mothers have the same facilities. She, for example, has not been allowed to breastfeed her son Kai during these Games. Her husband and baby have had to stay in Spain. And Carbonell, who will compete in Tokyo until August 7, has denounced it.
-Less than a year ago you were a mother, how did you get to these Games?
-Too tired! I arrive with the last strength that I have left. It has been very hard to get here but, at the same time, I am very excited.
-He has entered for some Games, has had a son, and has been a while without competing.
-Yes, but somehow the last competition I did is the same as my teammates. I didn’t disappear too much from the map. I finished the World Cup in Korea, I got pregnant, I had the baby and a year has passed. I did not stop too much but having a child has changed my life, of course. It has been the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to me. I have created a family.
-Has it physically been hard?
-When I was about to give birth, our coach, Mayuko Fujiki, told me that she believed that she could make it to the Games, which had been postponed. My reaction was: but what are you saying Mayu, I haven’t even given birth yet! He replied: ‘if we do it well, you can get there’. Thanks to her I am here.
-And what did he do differently?
-They gave me a physical trainer. I gave birth and after a month and a half I was training. Imagine! On a mental level, on an emotional level and thinking about conciliation. it’s almost impossible! It was quite difficult. For any athlete who is a mother, it is already hard to return to competition. But yes, on top of that, you come back so soon and the challenge is to compete in some Games. This challenge is very big and with little time. It was tough.
“We have broken our heads”
-I take it that your family has supported you a lot.
-Much. Without the support of my family, coach Mayuko and my physical trainer, this would have been impossible. In every sense. Both emotional, mental and physical. We have broken our heads to make the best schedules and get to everything that had to be done. Also, I breastfeed my son.
-I suppose that your example would like it to be used for other athletes.
-One of the objectives was to be in a third Games. It is a beautiful goal in itself, because the technical team and the swimmers are very good people. And I wanted to make this situation visible. It would have to be normal and it is not at all. I wanted to try to normalize motherhood. Many athletes want to create a family and make a break in their career. They don’t do it out of fear.
-Are your last Games?
-Yes. Surely.
-They will be more special.
-They have many special things. They are my first Games as a mother. My son will be one year old while I am in Japan! I will have to separate from him for 20 days. There will be no audience in the stands. And they will surely be my last Games. Everything will be special.
-And retire from swimming?
-My last goal will be to go to the 2022 Swimming World Cup.
-And in these Games, with a team as young as Spain, it is difficult to think of medals.
-Our objective is not the medals. Our goal is to give our best version, which is what is in our hands.
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