Gordillo will turn 25 next October and has already been swimming for at least 20 years. He started playing sports at the age of 5, by decision of his parents.but over time he found in water a way to be happy and a way of life.
The 2008 Beijing Olympics are still fresh in his memory. He was nine years old and followed them closely on television. “It was at that moment that I asked myself what it took to get to and compete at that level.”
Over the years, Gordillo discovered that the only way to achieve goals was through work and sacrifice. That’s how, at the age of 11, he decided to leave Puerto Barrios, Izabal, with his family, to train in the capital. In 2012 he joined the Delfines club and began a long relationship with his current coach, Morgan Sánchez.
However, the first people who taught him to swim and guided him through the different swimming styles were Álvaro Sánchez, Julio Solórzano and Tatiana Savchenko, whom he remembers fondly.
A fight
Qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics was the moment Gordillo had been waiting for for a long time. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she came close to achieving the mark, but ultimately failed to achieve it.
“It was a very hard time in my life, because I had improved six marks, and I mightn’t go; “But I never lost motivation. I followed the Tokyo competitions and thought I might be there, but fate did not turn out that way. Thank God I qualified for Paris,” said the athlete.
The option to be in Paris 2024 came thanks to a letter of universality from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which was awarded to him for being the best positioned athlete in the 200 meter medley event.
“The time that allowed me to be taken into account was the one achieved in the CA and Caribbean Games in San Salvadorwhich was 2:00.97,” explains the team member, who won three gold medals in these competitions.
Expectation
Gordillo will jump into the water in Paris 2024 on August 1st, Starting at 3 a.m., when the qualifying round of the 200-meter medley takes placeat the La Defense Arena complex.
“I am very happy to compete in the Olympics. I have trained very hard and my main goal is to improve my time. I want to enjoy it. I won’t let pressure or anything else ruin my competition,” he said.
The national athlete is already in France with his coach, where they are holding a camp in Mulhouse. The athlete will enter the Olympic Village tomorrow to continue training at the competition venue.
“After Paris? I want to keep swimming, keep enjoying my sport“If I lose my passion for swimming, I won’t achieve my goals,” says Érick, who hopes that Paris will be the first of many Olympic experiences.
Profile of Luis Grijalva
The swimmer seeks to leave his mark.
- The athlete was born on October 5, 1999.
- He is originally from Izabal, but has lived in the capital since 2012.
- Her specialties are the 200 and 400 metre medley. In Paris she will compete in the former.
- At the 2023 San Salvador Caribbean and Caribbean Games, she won three gold medals.
- In Paris, he will compete on August 1, starting at 3 a.m., at the Paris La Defense Arena complex.
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