[Sport] Hugo González, outside of his favorite final, leaves a doubt: "I don't know if it will be the last in some Games"

[SougarLord]

Link Web: https://www.elmundo.es/deportes/juegos-olimpicos/2021/07/29/610224bcfc6c83472a8b45a7.html

 

 

Hugo González will not be in the final of 200 styles, not being able to find in the semifinals those "good feelings" that until now had made him progress day by day at the Aquatics Center in Tokyo. The Spaniard finished sixth in the second, without ever being in the sets that promised him to enter the top eight. Contrary to the series that led him to the 100 backstroke final, it was at least on the day where he had to obtain the place for the final in which he was European champion.

 

The Games are a different environment, due to competition and emotions. Among the three qualifiers in their semi-final, to begin with, there were no Europeans: a Chinese, an American and a Japanese. The best, Shun Wang, swam in 1: 56.22. Hugo González did worse than in his series the day before, staying at 1: 57.96, 32 hundredths behind the last to enter the final, veteran Laszlo Cseh, with 1: 57.64, at 32 years old.

 

"There are no excuses, I don't have them," said the Spaniard, clearly disappointed. "I lost two tenths in the first 50 and I no longer recovered them. I did not feel like in the previous days," he continued, before leaving a disturbing doubt, in the microphones of Cadena Cope: "I hope it is not my last race in some Games, since I don't know what help I will have ". The scholarships are determined by the positions and not being in the final of 200 styles is a handicap, although the Spanish did reach the 100 backstroke.

 

A DISTANCE WITHOUT AN OWNER

At 22, González sees a full Olympic cycle ahead, the one that leads to Paris, where he will be 25, since his explosion has just occurred, with a title and two more medals at the Budapest European Championship. Now he will have to define how to design his preparation until 2024. The Canoe swimmer modified a part of his program after training in the United States, to which Hugo himself attaches a capital importance in his progression.

 

The bad feelings were evident in his semifinal. He even changed his breathing side at the end to get better references, but he could not overcome in his two strongest 50 theoretically, the breaststroke and the freestyle He was eighth in the first step, the butterfly, and he no longer improved the sixth place in the following. The passing times already made us fear the worst. And the 1: 57.96 was a second slower than the one credited for continental gold in May (1: 56.76). It is, for now, his national record. Repeating it would have given him podium options in open styles in Tokyo. Proof of this is the fact that 400 specialty champion Chase Kalisz will not enter the 200 final. Without Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte, he awaits owner.

 

SURPRISE IN 200 BACK

This bad news for Spanish swimming, which dreamed of a Mallorcan medal, was preceded by, at least, a good one. At 19 years old, Nico García is ahead of his time, his progression. He will be the youngest finalist in the 200 backstroke final. In the two men of the specialty there has been a Spanish representative, a fact to highlight.

 

The Gredos swimmer did not resign himself to accumulating experience in his Olympic debut and in the second semifinal he took a bite of seven tenths to his mark to leave it at 1: 56.35. He came third after managing his forces well, especially in the third 50, to squeeze the remaining energy and move up one place in last. It is the best national brand achieved with a textile swimsuit. Being in the final, the next morning, is already a great success for this future swimmer. Improving the times on the appointed day is key in these appointments. Just what Hugo González failed.

 

The one who couldn't reach her was Jessica Vall. The Catalan finished sixth in her 200 breaststroke semi-final, with a worse time than her series (2: 24.87). At the age of 32, her Olympic cycle is coming to an end, waiting to know what Mireia Belmonte, leader of a Spanish swimming with chiaroscuro, was doing in the 800s.