The great moment that Mexican archery is going through is undeniable, proof of this is the recent bronze medal it obtained Alejandra Valencia and Luis Grandpa Alvarez in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, in the mixed mode. Which became the first medal for the country, of the four that were obtained.
In an interview with Publisport, Luis Alvarez He told how his life changed after conquering the bronze metal in the Olympic joust, pointing out that beyond praise, he takes it as a responsibility; In addition, it seeks to continue promoting archery in Mexico, but especially the men’s national team, which he will help to qualify for Paris 2024.
How much did your life change after getting the Olympic medal?
– It changed my life drastically, although I have been in this for a long time, but being an Olympic medalist is a very big responsibility, at least I see it that way. It has its pros and cons, the only thing I want is to enrich all my skills. Archery is a very long-lived sport, fortunately none of them have a time limit, unlike other sports where the body can no longer hold out as long, here the only limit is what I am going to set myself. It is a pride to be a medalist for Mexico, I want to continue learning.
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Was the Olympic process complicated?
– It was difficult, you released everything that happened with the pandemic. I remember that I came to train in Mexico City at the end of 2019 and at the beginning of 2020 was when he hit us. We were notified to go to our homes to take care of ourselves, I consider that no one asked for a pandemic, it has been all very unfortunate, we have lost loved ones, I lost the person who was like my grandfather, who taught me to shoot when I was a child, he told me long before that he would be in Tokyo, unfortunately he couldn’t see me. Also add all the stress, being trusting, the new normal, face masks, etc., but all that was necessary to advance the pandemic. It was a different stress, with the news that the Olympic Games are postponed for a year, for me it was a shock, because I did not know what was coming, there was a lot of uncertainty, we did not know if I would hold the fair. At the beginning of 2021 I came to Mexico City again to concentrate, to a bubble, it was complicated, it is not easy to be locked up 24/7 in the same place. But finally I am grateful that the Olympic Games did take place, very grateful to Alejandra, that we won the medal.
How is Ale Valencia as a partner?
– I have known her for many years, she was first in the national team. He is a person full of enthusiasm, joy, very smiling, unlike me, who is more dry and dull. She is an excellent teammate, I know her a lot, we know our families and is very grateful to her for having been her partner in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Many times in the archery family it happens that we tend to behave as if we were a family. Ale is an excellent goalkeeper, I think she is the best.
Why do you get nicknamed ‘grandfather’?
– They began to tell me like that since I was 12 years old, because I’m very grumpy and a coach in Mexicali told me: “You already look like a grandfather, but you’re a child. What’s up?”. I didn’t like being called grandfather, and you know how children’s cheeks are, worse than that of adults. Until I ended up accepting it, many years I was known like that within the world of archery. But in this sport it has helped me a lot to make people identify me a little more. My nickname has helped me a lot to overcome things.
Will we see you in Paris 2024?
– That is the intention, it is the goal. Qualify Paris, but also qualify the team, because there is a crisis. If it is in my power for the team to grow and reach the Olympic Games, regardless of whether I touched it or not, I want to help them, since it is very difficult when you do not go to an Olympic joust, it hurts a lot. Archery is what I love the most in life, it has given me so many things and all I want to do is give it back a little.
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