RFEN Aquatics presents its 59 Olympic stars for the Paris 2024 Olympics at the COE
The Royal Spanish Swimming Federation (RFEN Aquatics) has presented this afternoon in a packed Alfredo Goyeneche auditorium of the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) its 59 Olympic stars for the Paris 2024 Olympics, an event which has been televised live on Teledeporte and COE TV. In total, there are 59 (35 women and 24 men) athletes spread across the five Olympic disciplines of the RFEN who will represent Spain in the most important event of the year.
The athletes have They have been presented in blocks and some have been asked about the hard road it has taken to get to Paris 2024, where some have fallen by the wayside. In fact, captain Felipe Perrone himself remembered those who are not there and, among them, the emblematic Blai Mallarach. An emotional video of people close to the teams that are not going to attend the Olympics was very well received by athletes and technicians.
Fernando Carpena, president of the RFEN, has recognized the“institutional support”received by the COE and the CSD, as well as thanking"clubs and technicians , who are also part of the achievements.” Furthermore, he has shown his confidence and support for the Olympians and has stated that “of the 16 Olympic medals that we have achieved, we can proudly say that 10 have been achieved since Beijing 2008, so we are on a good path.”
The president of the Higher Sports Council, José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, for his part, assured that he has a “ feeling of pride, because what you have done to get here must now be recognized.” He has also positively valued the number of Spanish athletes with an Olympic place in Paris, both at a general level and in the case of the RFEN. “It is not just a figure, it is a fact that reflects the good work that has been done in this cycle.”
Alejandro Blanco, president of the COE, has been in charge of close the act. During his speech he expressed that “sometimes we are not aware of the magnitude of the achievements. We have seen a group of 59 athletes who are competing for the diploma and the Olympic medal in the different disciplines: 59 is a number that more than 100 national Olympic committees in the world would like to have in their complete delegation,” he continued stating.< /p>
To conclude, the president of the COE wanted to send a message of encouragement to the future Olympians in Paris 2024: “You are going to defend Spanish sport and live a magical moment. I am convinced that in Paris you are going to surpass and enlarge history. For the past I say thank you very much. For the present, I feel pride. In Paris there will be joys and disappointments, but in all of them you defend Spanish sport and Spain.”
Rodrigo Gil-Sabio (RFEN Communication), Natalia Torné and Pau Yébenes (Special Env. Organization/RRSS RFEN to Madrid). Source and main photo: The authorities, including the director of ADO, Jennifer Pareja, with the 59 RFEN aquatic Olympians (c) Nacho Casares (Spanish Olympic Committee). Below, the teams by disciplines: Diving, Open Water, Artistic Swimming, Women's Water Polo, Swimming and Men's Water Polo / Rfen
