“Fighter, with a lot of capacity for suffering and always willing to learn, both from victories and defeats and from training.” This is how Ángel García, provincial judo delegate and coach, describes Elena Bahamonde from Zamora, athlete who is about to make history in Zamorano sports. The 15-year-old girl will be the first Zamora judoka to participate in one of the competitions included in the European Cup Circuit that will take place this weekend in Fuengirola where rivals from all over the “old continent” will face off.
Bahamonde comes to this championship after a spectacular season in which he has continued his progression, being clear about his challenge on the tatami. “My goal is to continue learning and get the most out of this Cup. Then, if I win, the better,” says this young woman who is currently fourth in the national ranking in cadet -44 kilos. These days, after receiving the “ok” from the Federation to be able to attend this European event, she has had time to confirm the quality and level of the rivals that she will face. Of all of them, Bahamonde highlights the other two Spanish women who attend who are “very powerful”, but also the Italian, first in the ranking, and without forgetting France, which is a great power.
Elena Bahamonde’s union with judo began in the first year of Primary with the extracurricular activities that were offered to her at school. Of all the options, judo caught her attention and she asked her parents to try it, so that she would end up hooked on this martial art. Among everything, she highlights “the values” that this sport has and highlighted concepts such as “greeting your rival and not thinking that you are going to fight against another, but rather that you are going to help me be better and I will help you.” Thus, in the extinct Friends of the Game she began her journey and years later moved on to Judo Morales where they have created a great family. “When we go to the championships we are always together and we don’t leave until we are all finished. We are all very united.”
ELENA BAHAMONDE / On loan
Inevitably, this young woman who will turn 16 in May thinks about the future and there are many athletes from different specialties who are forced to put their passion aside because they cannot combine it with their studies. Although she has a couple of years left before making decisions, she is clear that she does not want to give it up and “if I had to stop competing, I would want to continue practicing it. I think that, if you are organized, there is time for everything,” she commented.
Now what he has on the horizon is this European Cup where he hopes to do “the best possible” and for Bahamonde it is “an honor to be able to attend.” After the competition, the Zamora judoka will be concentrated with the Federation for three days and the next commitment will quickly arrive: the Spanish Junior Championship sector where she will participate in a higher category and a weight greater than her own.
2024-02-15 07:23:38
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