The Gràcia Gimnàstic Club has been a leading name in Barcelona and Catalan gymnastics for almost 15 years. The club has a waiting list of young people eager to join and practice this growing sport. "The Simone Biles effect was definitely felt," jokes the president, Olga Lamas. More than 450 athletes compete in a club that dedicates significant effort to social projects with the elderly and young people with autism, while also nurturing some of its promising young athletes, selected for the High-Performance Center in Sant Cugat. But the club has a problem: it's lost its home. Founded by former gymnast Maria José Guirao, the Gràcia Gimnàstic Club "secured a fantastic space, a pavilion belonging to the La Salut Tennis Club." "This club wasn't using the facility at all; it was just sitting there, practically unused, and they decided it would be a good idea for our club to move in. We started with about 60 gymnasts and kept growing until we reached the 450 we have now, of all ages. But a while ago, CT La Salut notified us that they had a request from their members to reclaim the space and build indoor padel courts. And we couldn't do anything; it's their space. We looked all over Gràcia because that's where our members are, but there was nothing. And we started looking all over Barcelona, ​​without any luck," says Lamas.

Àngela 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.

Twenty-five years ago, Gervasio Deferr (Premià de Mar, 1980) won a gold medal in the vault at the Sydney Olympic Games, a feat that seemed like science fiction. No Spanish gymnast had ever managed to displace Russians, Japanese, Americans, or Chinese from the top of the podium. But on September 25th, twenty-five years ago, Deferr reached the pinnacle of success with that gold medal in Sydney's Superdome. Few people imagined then what would happen next. Like Icarus, he tried to fly and burned his wings, falling into a hell of injuries, drugs, and accusations.

There is no goalkeeper guarding the door because you already have an exclusive ticket. The pass in question is a kind of golden ticket that immerses you in a curious experience. There is a fridge with soft drinks, juices, ginger shots in abundance, and even some beer. Promotional clothing is also on sale. dress code You are escorted to the room. In the red hallway, moving letters announce where you are. You enter in the darkness, take a seat among twenty people, the DJ sits down, puts on his own playlist – from Rosalía to techno and reggaeton – and suddenly, fluorescent lights come on everywhere. The mirrors reflect the perfect reflection for a selfie. You can't stop moving, but you are amazed: you realize that you are on a stationary bike and that the person in front of you is not Martin Garrix or David Guetta, but the trainer assigned to the class.