Gustavo Adolfo Sánchez Acero insisted on excelling in sports. Since he was a child, this man from Cali tried various disciplines, but it was synchronized swimming that set the tone for him, the activity to which he has dedicated the last years of his life and in which he has reaped the best triumphs.
Recently, in Paris (France), he won the gold medal at the Open in that city, he did it with a score of 80.8667 units, beating the Italian Nicolò Ogliari, who won the silver medal (79.0667) and the Puerto Rican Javier Enrique Ruisánchez, who won the bronze with 65.6333 points.
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the most winning
Artistic swimming is better known when women practice it, but for a few years now men have had the option of accepting it and with great success, so much so that The International Swimming Federation has already been in charge of promoting it.
In Colombia there are already several exponents of this discipline, and Sánchez is one of them; perhaps, because of what he has achieved, he is the most outstanding, but he warns that the enthusiasm in the country for his practice is great, it has grown in recent times.
Born on August 31, 2000, Gustado Adolfo has been in charge of opening the doors to artistic swimming for men. He warns that the mixed duet is the most recognized competition, but that several athletes have also begun to stand out in individual.
He studies visual communication design at the Javeriana University of Cali, the one that has given him all the facilities to continue with his sports career, to train, travel and compete. TIME spoke to him.
love for sport
Why artistic swimming?
I was in water polo and they told me that they needed men to compete, and I said yes, because I was in the water environment. I saw that sport in the Olympics and that motivated me. I remember that it was in 2017 and after four months I had my first international experience in a competition in Cancun and I realized that I picked up the fast pace. The learning was very premature and I stayed.
It is better known in women…
Yes, but in men it is growing. It is the same rules in mixed duet, but there is much more contact with the couple in order to make it more attractive.
But his gold in Paris was in individual…
Now I’m doing well solo, but the duet is my test. I do it with Jennifer Cerquera. She is from Valle del Cauca and I have been with her for three years.
What is the most complicated thing about artistic swimming?
The most demanding part is the physical resistance that you have to have. It’s too expensive because of the body’s demands, you can’t breathe, that lowers your heart rate, fatigue arrives, takes hold of you and that makes it difficult. You have to continue with the routine as it is, there are times to get to the other point of the pool and that makes it more complicated.
What have been the results you have achieved?
The gold in Paris has been the one that has filled me the most, but also last year we were South American champions in the duet, in Argentina. The level was high, there was a lot of competition compared to the 2018 contest, there were more people and it was fought with Brazil and Peru, that’s why it has been good.
Is there support for men?
Right now I have two sponsors, Speedy and Smart Muscle. They support me with endowments; and by the Federation, since we are included in the supported athlete program. Indervalle helps me.
How do you combine sport with study?
I have been lucky. My career requires a lot of delivery, the teachers understand me and give me the option to equal myself. These first six months I enrolled half a semester because there are many competitions, to train and be able to travel.
Either way, you have to answer both.
That’s always a pressure, there are a lot of jobs and that’s why I only enrolled for half a semester. In the second I would do the complete.
“My mom picked me up. I was disappointed, but she was always there for me.”
Have you ever thought about retiring from the sport?
There are injustices, but they are not in your hands. One gets discouraged. Two years ago there was no support, I achieved some things, but nothing. My mom picked me up. I was disappointed, but she was always there to support me. It is that one gave everything and the support was minimal, but I fought.
Was it for that long?
I felt more outside than inside the sport. My friends said that I was not going to continue, that was understandable. Not knowing what to do, stay or continue, suddenly that didn’t give me enough to fulfill the dream. I thought about going to other countries to seek support, but God crossed my path and I found the friendly hand of the Federation, the sponsors and the Colombian Olympic Committee.
Is there an option to go to the Olympic Games?
In 2015 mixed duets were official as a discipline, and from there they fight for the Olympics, but for Paris 2024 they did not accept it, they reduced quotas and we hope that by 2028 we will be in Los Angeles.
What other sports did you practice?
I played volleyball, I was doing well, I was an important part of the school team, just like in ultimate, but I was always active, surrounded by sports, that kept me going.
Why was he out of the sport for two years?
Because I had an accident and did not return well. I got to water polo and I didn’t stay either.
What happened to him?
With a door at school I bruised myself and bit the first phalanx of my left middle finger. The recovery was very hard. I was about 13 years old and that stopped my sports activity. I almost took my finger off.
A dream?
I don’t think twice: go to the Olympic Games, that’s what I work for, I sacrifice, I study and I train hard.
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Lisandro Rengifo
editor of TIME
@lisandroabel
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