Àngela Mora: "The champion is not the one who wins, but the one who tries."

LleidaÀngela Mora (Maials, 2004), an athlete from Club Gimnàstic FEDAC Lleida, is making history. In 2021, in Pamplona, ​​she became the first athlete with Down syndrome to participate in a Spanish National Artistic Gymnastics Championship. After her recent triumph at the Special Olympics in Oslo last September, she now plans to participate in more international competitions, such as the one to be held in Atlanta, USA, next February.

You've returned from Oslo with gold medals in uneven bars, vault, balance beam, and floor exercise. Which of the four disciplines is your favorite?

— With the bars.

Because?

— It allows me to do very different things, both easy and difficult, and it makes boys and girls equal.

Do you think there are no gender differences in gymnastics?

— Both girls and boys have their own difficulties, but they can eventually achieve the same results. It's a matter of practice.

Which discipline do you like the least?

— None.

But some will cost you more than others...

— The colt. Coordination is a little more difficult for me.

Do you think that having Down syndrome means you have more limitations than others?

— We all have limitations, whether you have Down syndrome or not. I can end up doing the same as any other athlete.

Is it proven?

— More than proven. Last year, I participated in a convent team competition in the Catalan Cup and we came in second.

She didn't come in first…

— The thing is, not everyone will ever be first all the time! If you're not on the medal podium, it's not the end of the world. I always repeat a phrase my coach, [Maribel Moncasí], told me.

Which?

— The champion is not the one who wins, but the one who tries. And one must try as best as possible.

Who are your sporting role models?

— I really like Simone Biles, who is a girl who has competed all over the world, but also Nicolau Mir and Joel Plata, who are gymnastic artists.

How much time do you dedicate to training?

— Twelve hours a week spread over four afternoons. In each session I do a good warm-up, three-quarters of an hour of physical preparation, and then all the exercises.

And what do you do in the mornings?

— I go to the gym to practice even more and I participate in the activities of the Down Lleida association, where I work on my social skills to look for work.

What would you like to do in the future?

— I would like to be a gymnastics coach.

How did you discover this sport?

— Thanks to the violin.

As?

— I was playing the violin and was invited to perform at a benefit event for Down Lleida. The program also included a gymnastics exhibition. I saw it and loved the sweaters. I decided I wanted to make them too.

How old were you?

— Eleven.

What has become of the violin since then?

— I have it at home, parked.

How do you manage to concentrate during training?

— I need to focus on what I have to do, try to understand it well, and do it strongly, because I know that at some point I will have to compete and I want to be well prepared.

And once you're in the competition?

— Maribel always reminds me that competition is the time to enjoy myself.

Good advice.

— Yes. It's the time when you just have to reap what you've sown. There's no need to stress.

Do you ever get overwhelmed?

— Yes. Whenever I get overwhelmed, I end up crying. But it all happens when I hear music.

What music?

— The moment the buzzer sounds, it means the test is starting and I have to go out on the track. That's when I calm down and really focus on what I'm doing. Everything just flows naturally: legs, arms, back…

In Oslo, did you remember to enjoy yourself?

— Yes. I had a great time and met lots of people from different countries.

How did you communicate? In English?

— As best we could [laughs]. With gestures, activities, and playing. I had a great time in a laser tag session.

Outside of gymnastics, do you have the necessary support?

— Whenever I need it, I ask for it and they give it to me. I always find someone to lend me a hand, especially now that I've moved out of my parents' house.

Do you no longer live in Maials?

— No. For a little over a month now I've been living with a roommate in a supervised apartment in Lleida.

And does she take on all the household chores?

— Sure. We'll take turns looking after the house.

And cooking?

— Yes. I love making spaghetti, it's my favorite dish. As well as sushi.

Don't you miss your family?

— When I'm with them, I don't think about it. But when I'm alone here in Lleida, sometimes a lot.

If you could speak to a ruler right now, what would you ask them?

— A pavilion with better conditions.

Because?

— The facilities provided by the FEDAC school in Lleida are fine, but we need something in better condition. A place that isn't so cold, and doesn't leak when it rains.