Francisco Javier Aguilar Amoedo (Madrid, 1983) is a especially complete climber, because he competes in Paraclimbing and also in Climbing, against able-bodied athletes. He resides in Granada, but travels to Madrid frequently and, among other striking details, participated as a swimmer in the Olympics. On Sunday, June 16, he will compete in the Paraclimbing final to be held in Arroyomolinosat the Climbing Madrid event.
They are palmares national and international is extensive, highlighting its gold medal at the 2021 Innsbruck World Cup (Austria) and that of silver at the 2023 Salt Lake City World Cup (EEU).
What is your disability?
Have total blindnessI’m in the category B1 [la que se asocia a los invidentes completos]. I compete in Paraclimbing, in national and international events, and also in climbing in regional competitions, such as the Andalusian one.
How can a paraclimber climb?
As in all adapted sports, although climbing is not one of the most adapted, we have some help. In this case, some intercoms that we use the guide me too. With them it tells me how to move and where to put the manos, for which we use the positions of the clock hands; for the pies, Instead, we use the body; He tells me, for example, put them at the level of the navel, the knees…
Does the guide have to have climbing experience?
Yes, the opposite is very rare. You have to understand the morphology, the typology of the routes… to know where you have to go, the grips, whether inverted or lateral. It can tell you almost everything in the world, but completing a route in 6 minutes requires experienced assistance. And we have little time, about 6 minutes for a wall of 20 meters or more, so we have to move quickly. And for the blind who do not see anything and have to feel, because time is short.
The rise of climbing in Spain, what is it due to?
It is a very new sport, which was not known. I started on rock, but I combined it with climbing walls to train and gain physical fitness and then I started competing. People have been communicating and getting to know it, and in the end what I expected would happen has happened, which has fascinated more than one person. There are more and more fans.
Alberto Ginés, who won a medal in his debut in Olympic Climbing [Tokio 2020]has also caused the popularity of the scale in Spain to rise many integers.
Aguilar, in an almost impossible ascension movement. / .
What specialties are there, in which ones do you compete?
Yes, there are three disciplines: Speed, Difficulty or Block or Boulder. Yo I compete in Paraclimbing in Difficulty, which is the long discipline and is done with a rope. AND in my community [Andalucía]I also participate in Boulder Climbing, which helps me train and prepare better for Difficulty tests. Bouldering and Difficulty go hand in hand; Speed, however, is more different.
You were born in Madrid, but you live and compete in Andalusia…
My federation is Andalusian, FADMES, because I live there and they also give me a hand in the climbing walls of Granada. But I usually travel to Madrid because there are larger climbing walls that I use to train.
You are a climber and paraclimber, yours is more than a hobby…
Between competitions, training, discipline, in the end I am dedicated all year round. Previously, many years ago, I participated in the Olympics [Paraolimpiadas] Swimming and this gave me the discipline and dedication necessary to do a sport as beautiful as the one I do now, climbing.
Were you a swimmer?
Yes, many years ago. Like all climbers who have started late, I always think what it would be like today if I had started climbing from the beginning. Although, at the same time, the training and experience accumulated are very useful to me.
What do you think of Climbing Madrid, the largest climbing event in Spain?
I think it’s going to be a very nice event. The combination of the bouldering wall, a Difficulty ceiling of about 20 meters, the environment, the outdoor facilities… It seems like it’s going to be very good.
2023 European Cup climbing facilities. / .
Are you going to participate, to visit?
To participate, of course. On Sunday the 16th I compete in Paraclimbing. We have the Spanish Championship and Cup.
What is the difference between Cup and Championship?
The Copa is a league that consists of three tests, Meanwhile he Championship is individual and is celebrated once a year. For logistical and monitoring reasons, both coincide at least once per season.
Are you happy with the evolution of climbing in Spain? What could be done to make it gain even more popularity?
For now, yes. Climbers are specializing a little more, some in rocaothers in climbing walls, and I interpret it as a positive evolution. To improve, the balance between both disciplines could be reinforced and establish more interrelationships.
In Arroyomolinos it will be the first time that the Spanish Championship is held on an international wall located outdoors. What is an international wall?
Our international federation [IFSC] establishes the criteria and, for a wall to be classified as international, it must meet a series of featuresreferring to its complexity, height, angles, visibility for television coverage….
Do you want to add something, a message, recommendation?
Climbing is a sport that all of us who practice it love, and what I would like to ask is that the natural environment be more respected, for pets, plastics, remains… If we don’t take care of it, one day they may ban it and take it away from us.
2024-04-30 15:42:52
#climber #professional #swimmer
