The day that with 22 years Paula Pareto he stepped onto the podium at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, unknowingly being born a figure in the national Olympics. That year the milestone of the Peque was shared with the gold of Lionel Messi and Cía. and the gold medal of Juan Curuchet and Walter Pérez in cycling. The harvest also included the other three bronzes: Generación Dorada in basketball, Las Leonas in field hockey, and Carlos Espínola and Santiago Lange in yachting. The truth is that the last name of the judoka was already beginning to be recorded in the history of Argentine sports.
Back then, she was the Olympic medalist studying Medicine. His career advanced. Or rather, their careers. Both academic and sports. He was successful in both ways, obtaining a medical degree and currently practicing as a trauma resident at the Hospital de San Isidro. In judo he reached the top, first on a continental level, in the Pan American Games in Guadalajara 2011, then world-wide, in Astana 2015, until the most precious milestone arrived: gold in Rio de Janeiro 2016.
La Peque spoke hand in hand with Olé (PHOTOS MARTIN BONETTO).
After his retirement in Tokyo “without being able to give the joy that people expected”, La Peque today focuses on other things. That was what he talked to Ole hand to hand.
-Your last Olympic Game ended, how was the day after retirement when you returned to Argentina?
-I left with a lot of peace, a lot of tranquility. I was at peace and calm knowing that I had left everything and knowing that another stage in my life was coming.
In Japan he did not go as far as he would have liked.
-You started to have time to do other things, what was the first thing you thought?
-A lot of things. A lot of postponed meetings that I had, in addition to judo, because of the pandemic. Also because of judo, which obviously had to take care of myself a little more. I wanted to dedicate myself more to the trauma part, the office part, the surgery part, that although I had already been doing it, today I am doing it calmer and knowing that I do not have to run away to complete some training, so on that side more quiet. Also training, doing a little more courses, which in Medicine you always continue studying, so I dedicate more to that part of my life.
-Are you still studying?
-The doctor is in constant training, I believe that many non-medical specialties also do it. Today I am doing a postgraduate degree in Sports Medicine, which has a lot to do precisely with sport, and doing some training courses. I am also studying on a day-to-day basis to do the practical part and continue to grow from that side, so that’s where the academic part comes from.
The maximum glory reached it in Rio, when it was Olympic gold.
-Is your idea to continue linked to sports from traumatology?
-Yes, then maybe I will stay in the sport not only for the medical, but also from the technical side or as a former athlete. Today for example we held a meeting between the Olympic Committee and part of the Athletes Commission. The idea is to be part of a group in which, just as they helped us a lot in our training and in the sporting part, today we can help those who come below with that hand that is managerial but not managerial of the former athlete, and to be able to add on that side.
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