The Castellón swimmer Lidón Muñoz, who has received in the last hours the news that the Spanish federation has summoned her for the Olympic Games this coming summer, said that she had to read the document certifying her presence in Tokyo several times to believe it.
"I was doing the Medicine internship in a hospital. Suddenly, around ten in the morning, a large number of messages and calls began to arrive on my mobile phone. I could not answer them because I was in the operating room. During a break, I was able to see the document that accredited my presence in Tokyo. I had to read it several times to believe it. It was very exciting, "he explained to the FER Project.
The 25-year-old swimmer obtained her passport to Tokyo in December 2019 by achieving the minimum required in the 100m freestyle during the Amsterdam Open, but due to the pandemic, she had to retrace the path.
Muñoz could not beat the clock either at the Castalia Castellón Tournament in December, or at the Spanish Open Spring Championship, this past weekend in Sabadell.
She had a third wild card, the May European in Budapest, but the swimmer appreciated the call.
"I am very grateful to the Federation and to the coach for the confidence they have shown me. Obviously, it gives me a lot of peace of mind and frees me from that certain anxiety that I could suffer in the coming weeks. It is like a recognition of all the work done", Indian.
Despite already being classified, Muñoz said that he will not relax, and that he will go to the May European Championship with the idea of showing his best version.
"My confirmation in Tokyo will help and reassure me, but it will not relax me in the least. Facing the European Championship, my ambition is not reduced. I not only want to achieve the Olympic minimums; I also want to grow in a great international event. Two years ago, at the European Championship in Glasgow, I was at the gates of the final. In Budapest, it's time for revenge, "he added.
On whether in recent weeks he had become obsessed with the Olympic ticket, the Castellón explained that "as much as an obsession, no, but I was thinking about it a lot and I wondered if I would be able to get it."
"In addition, in recent weeks, and due to my health status, I had been able to administer the vaccine on two occasions and had not done so due to the proximity of the event. That is, between one thing and another, it is true that it was not a situation easy to manage, "he said.
Asked if it would have been unfair for her not to enjoy this "award" after all the effort invested since, at just 14 years old, she left her home in Castellón for Barcelona, Muñoz indicated that she does not know if it is unfair, but not he would have taken it as a failure.
"The line between achieving a minimum or not is delimited by hundredths. For this reason, I take this Olympic call as a prize, as a reward. And I send this message: if ever an athlete does not achieve his goal, but has nothing to reproach yourself for what was done on the previous path, do not be discouraged, "he commented.
Finally, the FER Project athlete affirmed that, although talent and class help, the ability to excel, effort and tenacity is more important.
"I have talent, but I do not have enough. I have had to work hard. Since I was left out of Rio 2016 and since this new Olympic cycle began, I never stopped trying, believing in myself. I did not want to depend on anyone And I wanted to do the minimum. At the end of the day, if I have been selected, it has been because, in effect, in December 2019 I got the requirement, "he concluded.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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