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Of Nadal and Alcaraz, of referents and their successors

2022-05-15T03:19:23.855Z


Young sports talents tend to grow up with greater self-confidence, without fear of the unknown, but the challenge of developing a career is not consumed with illusions alone


Sport follows the laws of the cycle of life: everything has a beginning and an end.

Although there are figures that seem eternal, because we have made their triumphs our joys, their path will have an outcome at some point.

Nothing is forever.

And the fan must maturely respect those cycles, value each stage in an athlete's career and try to understand the circumstances surrounding the moments.

They say that one does not value what he has until he no longer has it.

In sports, it becomes apparent in the final stretch of your career.

It is inevitable that, over the years, new figures emerge with a potential yet to be discovered.

With a theoretically brilliant future, but that will only be written from the daily effort.

Young athletes inspired by their role models, whom they try to emulate with the hope of following in their footsteps in the future.

You have to let these young people go their own way.

Nothing puts more pressure on the shoulders of a newcomer than enduring the shadow of a legend, hearing constant comparisons to the beacon that may have lit them up.

If his dream is to follow in the footsteps of number ones, world and Olympic champions, or pursue goals that no one else has achieved, let that ambition grow naturally.

Several consecrated athletes come to mind with their consequent heirs, athletes who come to compete against their idols or share costumes with them.

The clearest example we have very present in recent weeks.

Spanish tennis is experiencing a historic era thanks to the legendary career of Rafael Nadal, who in his own right has become one of the greatest athletes of all time.

He is one of the icons of modern sport and an eternal figure in Spanish history.

The arrival of Carlos Alcaraz to the circuit, with a splendid push before turning 20, has triggered the comparisons between the two.

Let us both walk in peace.

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Madrid or when the public helps you win

At the same time, my mind remembers figures like Sergio García and John Rahm;

Sergio Rodriguez and Ricky Rubio;

Andres Iniesta and Pedri;

or Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez.

Admiration is a very personal, almost intimate facet of the athlete, whose motivation should remain in the private domain of the competitor.

No external pressure.

In the female section, something similar happens with Amaya Valdemoro and Alba Torrens;

Gemma Mengual and Ona Carbonell or, for example, Garbiñe Muguruza and Paula Badosa.

In times when social networks and immediacy did not play such a strong role, these athletes were able to develop their careers more calmly than their successors.

The comparisons were not so constant and that demand for performance along an already marked path was left in the background.

On the other hand, many of these young people have before their eyes the possibility of being inspired, of having references and not needing to act as pioneers in their discipline.

Someone has previously shown them the way, has taught them that it is possible to achieve a goal, has opened their minds to launch themselves to achieve it.

They tend to grow up with greater self-confidence, without that fear of the unknown, making their debut even before their own idols.

But the challenge of developing a career is not consumed only with illusions.

Work, discipline and daily effort continue to be key.

What should referents think or feel?

What respect do successors have to show?

Both share a passion for the sport they practice, have an innate talent and push themselves to the limit to obtain results.

That capacity for resilience to overcome difficult moments and enjoy the demands of the sport will make a difference in their careers.

Referents and successors will or will not cross their paths in the history of sport.

We will help them to achieve it in a simple way: letting them be happy with their daily effort.

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Source: elparis

All sports articles on 2022-05-15

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