Pablo J. Zarzuela

Started: He began playing wheelchair basketball at age 12 at the CB Jerez club in Spain. (calidadpascual.com, 28 Feb 2020; Athlete, 02 Aug 2016) Reason: "I was walking with my mum around Jerez and a player of CB Jerez asked me if I knew about wheelchair basketball. He told me where and when they practised and I went to try." (caixabank.com, 06 Jul 2017; Athlete, 02 Aug 2016) Milestones: He was part of the Spanish squad that won Spain's first Paralympic medal [silver] in men's wheelchair basketball at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Jul 2024) Awards: In 2016 he received the Sports Award of Andalucia in Spain alongside national teammates Jesus Maria Romero and Alejandro Zarzuela. (eldiario.es, 12 May 2017) Additional Info: CAMPUS In 2019 he and his brother Alejandro set up Campus Hermanos Zarzuela, which is a project designed to improve the technique of wheelchair basketball players. "It is not intended as a leisure-sports campus. It is for young boys and girls who are at the learning stage and who have the characteristics and potential to become elite players. Both Alex and I have always liked helping and teaching. We did not know of anything similar for wheelchair basketball in Spain, and we want young people who are just starting out to have as many tools as possible to see how far they can go. We did not have such an opportunity when we were young." (feddf.es, 26 Dec 2019; marca.com, 09 Dec 2019)

Sporting Relatives: His father Juan Miguel Zarzuela competed in archery at the Paralympic Games in 2004 and 2008. His twin brother Alejandro has also played wheelchair basketball for Spain, and was part of the silver medal-winning team at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (calidadpascual.com, 28 Feb 2020; marca.com, 19 Jun 2017; estoesdxt.es, 02 Feb 2012; eldiadevalladolid.com, 24 Jun 2010; SportsDeskOnline, 08 Aug 2024)