Sarai Gascon

Started: She began swimming at age three at a club in Terrassa, Spain, and started competing at junior international level at age nine. (Athlete, 15 Aug 2018; elmundo.es, 07 Mar 2008) Reason: Coaches saw her swimming and suggested she become involved in competition. "I have loved the water so much since I was a child." (Athlete, 15 Aug 2018; paralimpicos.es, 01 Aug 2008) Ambition: To win a gold medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (talentoabordo.com, 01 Sep 2023) Awards: She was named 2023 Para Athlete of the Year in Terrassa, Spain. (Diari de Terrassa Facebook page, 20 Mar 2024) In 2018, 2019, and 2020 she received an Admiral Award as Para Athlete of the Year. The honour is presented by Go Sharing Dreams, an athlete funding project in Spain. (mundodeportivo.com, 24 Feb 2021; laverdad.es, 29 Jan 2020; nataccion.com, 10 Jan 2019) She was one of the recipients of the 2017 Athlete of the Year award at the National Sports Gala by the Spanish Association of Sports Press. (aepde.org, 20 Feb 2018) She received an award from the Catalonian Swimming Federation in Spain in recognition of her performance at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (eurosport.es, 18 May 2017) In 2015 the Higher Sports Council [CSD] in Spain granted her membership of the Royal Order of Sports Merit in the gold medal category. (paralimpicos.es, 29 Jul 2015) She was named the 2012 Athlete of the Year in Terrassa, Spain. (dxtadaptado.com, 21 Mar 2013) Additional Info: FRESH APPROACH She says that she competed at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo with the aim of enjoying herself, in a shift from how she had previously approached competitions. "I went to the Tokyo Games to enjoy myself. It made me angry that in other competitions there was only the athlete Sarai and not the person. I avoided other people, I only concentrated on the sport, and sometimes I thought that being happy was losing concentration. Now I see that everything is compatible and can be managed. I used to get nervous for a week before competing. I don't get that so much any more, but the two days before are difficult, you are putting pressure on yourself, a lot of nerves, but I have known how to control them and when I jump into the pool I forget everything." (europapress.es, 07 Mar 2022) EDUCATION She has studied for a degree in primary education at the Catholic University of Murcia [UCAM] in Spain. She was inspired to pursue the profession by her mother, who also works as a teacher. "I always saw the passion with which she did her work and I always liked everything related to it. I believe that educating the little ones in values helps us to generate a more inclusive society, where equality takes place. UCAM opened the doors for me to be able to study and has been fundamental in combining my studies with my sporting career." (ucamdeportes.com, 23 Oct 2020; paralimpicos.es, 24 Sep 2020) OTHER ACTIVITIES In 2023 she began serving as a sports councillor for the government of Terrassa, Spain. "I will work hard and give the best of me for the sport of Terrassa and its citizens. Being a sports councillor is a big responsibility and a big challenge. I will give my best every day with dedication, effort and perseverance." (Instagram profile, 28 Aug 2023; europapress.es, 20 Jun 2023) EARTHQUAKE EXPERIENCE In September 2017 she was in Mexico City, Mexico, when a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck. She was training at the Mexican Paralympic Centre [CEPAMEX] along with her national teammate Jose Antonio Mari and their coach Miguel Vazquez Calvo ahead of the 2017 World Championships, which were rescheduled for a later date following the earthquake. "Everything moved from one side to the other. We could not walk. The floor was shaking and people were crying and screaming on the street. I could not sleep that night, afraid of an aftershock. It was something that I will never forget." (marca.com, 21 Sep 2017)

Sporting Relatives: Her partner Jose Antonio Mari has represented Spain in Para swimming. He competed at the 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 Paralympic Games, winning bronze in the S9 50m freestyle at the 2012 Games in London. (SportsDeskOnline, 24 May 2022; Jose Antonio Mari Instagram profile, 01 Sep 2021)