Donovan Carrillo returns to Mexico after the Olympic Games: "I don't want to set limits"

The Mexican skater Donovan Carrillo, during the press conference.Cuartosc (Daniel Augusto)

Donovan Carrillo has given Mexico a chance to believe.

To also trust that you can compete in figure skating.

The 22-year-old athlete is already seen as a celebrity after reaching the final and finishing 22nd in the Olympic competition in Beijing.

Before him, no Mexican had competed for a medal.

This Wednesday he returned to his country, with the stress and nervousness away from him, and with the smile that has earned him to enchant the world during the Winter Olympics.

"We are very happy with the result.

With this preparation and the four years we have on our way to Milan, even more important things can be achieved.

Having the opportunity to compete side by side with the best skaters in the world is something very unique.

We have taken advantage of it because having the coexistence of knowing what they eat, how they warm up, of knowing even the secrets that exist in the preparation of an athlete can help us to complement each other to improve our performance”, he said upon his arrival in Ciudad de Mexico.

His family lives in Guadalajara, although since he was 13 years old Carrillo has had his training headquarters in León, Guanajuato, where he has lived with the lessons of his coach Gregorio Núñez.

In Mexico, ice rinks are found in shopping malls, but facilities dedicated to high-performance sports are scarce.

"What we need most is an infrastructure that has the Olympic measures so that he can prepare even better," said Gregorio Núñez.

Donovan Carrillo stressed that the Mexican sports authorities have supported him since 2019. The support structures “did not contemplate winter sports, the criteria did not exist.

Donovan is the spearhead, he is the only scholarship holder in winter sports, ”explained Ana Guevara, head of the National Commission for Physical Culture and Sports (Conade).

The amount of economic support is 30,000 pesos (about 1,480 dollars), but it can increase according to his performance in the World Championships to be held on March 23 in Montpellier, France.

During the week in which Donovan Carrillo competed, Mexico gave itself completely.

Before Carrillo, Ricardo Olavarrieta was present in two Olympic competitions in 1988 and 1992, although he did not manage to get into the figure skating final.

Mexicans Diana Evans and Mayda Navarro competed in 1988 and 1992. Carrillo's routine in Beijing gave her a score of 218.13, the highest of his entire career.

“I just gave myself, I tried to enjoy every part of the dream of being in the Olympics.

It just happened to me that after the short program I no longer wanted it to end, I wanted to continue skating, continue living the dream, ”he added at a press conference.

“I was surprised, I did not expect to have this impact.

It was an unforgettable experience.

Another thing I enjoyed was that union.

Suddenly groups of friends say: 'Don't make things up, the whole family was watching you', the memes... It was very special.

Everyone did their bit to keep me motivated”, said the Mexican skater and launched a warning: “I want to be surprised, I know that quite important things are coming, I don't want to set limits for myself”.

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