Mikel García in the European race /
adapted athletics
The athlete won gold in the T21 category and in the 800 and 1,500 meter races, which were held in Krakow
New title for the world champion of adapted athletics Mikel García. The sportsman from the Basauri club Ascensores Bertako Javi Conde has added this weekend a new record to his extensive track record made up of more than a dozen medals in various European and world events. Irala’s bullet has become European champion in the T21 category and in the 800 and 1,500 meter races, in the event that took place from the 16th to the 24th of this month in the Polish city of Krakow.
It is the first time that the athlete with Down syndrome has won gold at the Virtus European Summer Games, because during the last two editions they were suspended due to the pandemic. Twenty countries participated in the event and athletes were able to measure themselves in disciplines as diverse as athletics, swimming, table tennis, basketball, handball, cycling, rowing, badminton and tennis. The Spanish delegation added 49 gold, 25 silver and 15 bronze.
García landed on Sunday at the Bilbao airport “tired and satisfied” with the results. “I felt very good, I am very happy. I started strong and pushed hard at the end because I felt very good in the race », he stated. The runner took the opportunity to congratulate his teammates Nico and Manu, who also achieved a good result.
Now that the season is over, he plans to rest for a few days, he will lower the pace of training to twice a week- he has been practicing for the European Championship every day for the last six weeks- and after the summer he will return to the task of preparing for the World Cup, which will be will play next year in France. «It is the ‘biggest’ challenge that I have in my hands. Logically I will compete in the rest of the events on the calendar, but I have to start preparing for the French event », he acknowledges.
The dream of the Olympics
The objective is to revalidate the title, but not only. “Javi Conde has already told me that we have to go for the record, so I’m going to try it with my team and my coaches,” he anticipates. The athlete still has the thorn stuck in not being able to participate in the Olympic Games. “I still don’t understand why we can’t run. I always ask myself that question and I already know that we are doing a lot, but I would like to know why they don’t let us », he points out.
García, his family and the team itself are confident that at least the athletes will be able to attend the Olympics that will take place in six years in Los Angeles. The Biscayan has the unconditional support of his family. His parents, Gotzon and Elvira, have been fighting for months to achieve “what is fair” and have promoted the #downparis2024 project on social media. For their unconditional work, the Basauri Athletics Meeting, an event included in the International Paralympic Committee calendar, awarded them a txipi.
