Paris Olympics | She was injured while practicing gymnastics, and 13 years later won the Olympic shooting championship
Seeing the last disc target of the game shatter in the air, Adriana · Ruano · Oliva smiled with relief.
The first Olympic gold medal in Guatemala's history was born.
On July 31, local time, Guatemala players Adriana· Ruano · Oliva at the award ceremony. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Fan
In the women's skeet multi-directional final of the Paris Olympics, Oliva won the championship with a score of 45 in 50 targets. On the sidelines, spectators waving Guatemala flags burst into tears. After 72 years of Olympic competition, a Guatemala athlete has finally reached the top podium.
"Right now I have mixed emotions. This gold medal means a lot to my country, it is Guatemala's first Olympic gold medal. Personally, sport has become a part of my life and I will continue to do so. ”
Mixed with tears and laughter, Oliva enjoyed the joy of victory. She waited 13 years for this dream. And 13 years ago, she was a gymnast.
Oliva's original major was gymnastics, and it has always been her dream to compete in the Olympics. At the age of 15, she competed in the Pan American Games as a member of the Guatemala gymnastics team. However, in 2011, as she was preparing for the 2012 London Olympics, she received the bad news that she had injured her spine.
For a gymnast, a spinal injury often means the end of a career. Although she did not give up hope and struggled to recover for more than a year, she was ultimately unable to continue her gymnastics career. "The doctor told me that it was impossible to resume gymnastics training, and he advised me that if I really wanted to practice sports, I should practice shooting, which would not affect my spine much. Then, one of my brother's friends happened to be a shooter, so I started shooting training in December 2012. Oliva said.
On July 31, local time, Guatemala players Adriana · Ruano · Oliva (center) wept after winning the championship. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhao Dingzhe
From gymnastics to shooting, the rows are like mountains, and Oliva, who has just practiced shooting, does not dare to hope to participate in the Olympics. However, she wanted too much to see what the Olympics were like.
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Oliva, who was temporarily unable to compete as an athlete, signed up as a volunteer.
"I said to myself, if I can't compete as an athlete, maybe I can do as a volunteer, so I signed up. I volunteered for the Olympic shooting event, so I was able to see my teammates up close. That Olympic experience inspired me, and I was like, 'Well, if gymnastics doesn't work, then I'll try it in shooting.'" ”
There is only one shooting range in the whole of Guatemala, so training conditions in Oliva are limited. However, the eagerness to look forward to the Olympics kept her going. Since then, Oliva's results have gradually improved, and in 2021, she got her wish to compete as a shooter at the Tokyo Olympics. That time she finished 26th and missed out on the final.
"A month before the Tokyo Olympics, my dad died. It hit me hard and I had some mood swings. After the Tokyo Olympics, I readjusted and found myself. I also want to dedicate this gold medal to my father. ”
In 2023, Oliva won the women's multi-directional title at the Pan American Games, which was also her first title on the international stage.
Olympic champion, is it still far away?
Arriving in Paris, Oliva's form has adjusted to its peak. In the qualifying round, he hit 125 targets and 122 shots, ranking third and advancing to the finals. In the final, the other five opponents all showed varying degrees of form fluctuations, but Oliva continued to perform steadily, leading all the way and finally winning the championship strongly, and the time of 45 also broke the Olympic record in the event.
On July 31, local time, Guatemala players Adriana · Ruano · Oliva in the game. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhao Dingzhe
"I have fulfilled my dream and for this day, I have been preparing for it. When I was a little girl, I dreamed of competing in Olympic gymnastics. I never thought I would be able to achieve this in another project. When I was younger, I couldn't have imagined that I would have this day. Oliva said.
In addition to training and competing, Oliva also holds a master's degree in sports nutrition. As for why she chose this major, she said: "When I was still practicing gymnastics, I needed to maintain my physical condition, and it was very stressful. At that time, I was interested in the study of sports nutrition. Then, I worked in professional sports, and my research in sports nutrition also aided my training. ”
Source: Xinhua News Agency
Edit: Mochi