An Olympic mother: this is the story of the windsurfer Blanca Manchón

Listen this article

Represent Spain in the race competition of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, but to get there her greatest personal joy became an obstacle that exceeded

She was born in Seville, Spain, on March 6, 1987. Blanca Maria Manchón is the daughter and sister of sailors, and for that reason, at age 7 she started sailing, specifically in the Optimist class, and many even believe that her passion for this sports discipline was born from when she was in the womb of her mother when, in the gestation period of Blanca, she participated in a Championship in Spain.

Leer en español: Una madre olímpica: esta es la historia de la windsurfista Blanca Manchón

Today, Blanca is a multi-world and European champion in the specialty of windsurfing and in the RS: X class, which places her in the elite as one of the best sailors of today, as assured by Ecured. At age 10, Manchón knew what it was like to participate in a World Championship, in the children's category. Two years later, she won her first podium, when she won the silver prize in the Alevín World, Aloha class, which was held at that time in Martigues (France).

The maximum competition: the Olympic Games, appeared in the life of Blanca in 2004, and immediately makes history by becoming the first minor to represent Spain in such an international event. She was only 17 years old and was already an absolute continental runner-up in Palermo (Italy) and seventh place in the Cesme World Cup in Turkey, she closed Ecured. But the beautiful side of Blanca's life, and that has made her reach where she is, we went to the obstacles that the Sevillian had to overcome to reach the Olympic Games.

Read also: Tayla Harris: the athlete who set a precedent against sexual harassment

Maternity

Although there are some signs that women are gaining more space in sports, it is necessary to remember that historically, sport is a platform of inequality between men and women. She has been openly favorable to the male sector in opportunities, money, visibility, and, even when the issue of motherhood arises because even sponsors can turn their backs on these cases.

At 32, Manchón is the visible image of what women suffer in different disciplines even though she is already a six-time world champion and European monarch. That did not help when she announced that she was pregnant. "I've been a professional since I was 14, even after a six-month injury, the sponsors supported me, they just left me alone after the break because I was a mother," she told El Español.com.

Her advertisers turned their backs, and Manchón had no choice but to dedicate herself to her pregnancy and practice in a personal way, to reappear in official competitions six months after giving birth. "Suddenly all the sponsors did not renew me, or they disappeared." Although she had to start from scratch and without help, Blanca thanked those who supported her at the time.

Her son Noah was born in December 2016, shortly after the withdrawal of the two advertisers, and forced him to knock on the door to her parents to continue competing. "Dad, mom, look: like when I was 12!" She recalled with some energy. The mentality was also worked on and in that sense, her psychologist, Ana, has been fundamental.

"In my sport, you have to plan things well in advance for travel and logistics. I was with the nine months hype and planning the next season, and nobody picked up the phone. From Emasesa and Nike, I did not know much more, and yes, I lost 40 thousand euros. A year without competition is a year without income, and it was hard because it depended on these brands," she explained to El País.

Tokyo 2020 is the big goal

Her family helped him get up and achieve a new title. After this complicated stage, the windsurfer is already preparing for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Manchón will arrive without economic difficulties to the Olympic event of 2020, after finding a sponsor, in this case, the Hero brand, which represents an extra motivation and the adequate tranquility for Olympic preparation.

"The family has always been one of the main corporate values of Hero, for that reason, and during its history, the company has carried out different projects to contribute socially to the welfare of families in Spain," the brand said in a statement. according to El Español.

Blanca also reminded El Pais in a rejoicing joy at her first Olympic participation in the Athens 2004 edition, in which she made friends with the star tennis player Rafa Nadal. "He was an alternate. We were the same age, we both went to eat pipes on the Spanish Steps of the Olympic Village ", to add" To Tokyo I will go with another mentality, with the illusion of knowing what it cost me to be there and what happens Pass, I'll enjoy it. It's a gift to me more than a medal. "

The Diario de Andalucía reiterated that Manchón decided not to choose between her career and her motherhood, as if other athletes did, which must have been debated between the title and the maternal adventure. That position, when the policy of scholarships in sports in Spain is on the table, did not favor Blanca, because the generalized theory is that both things are not compatible with the sport.

Blanca, before her break due to pregnancy, only stopped once in her career and was injured, although on that occasion there was no further learning as in this one. In this regard, she said "far away are eight-hour water sessions, I'm in a different stage, just as competitive, but different, because when you're raising the unexpected is there, behind the corner," she told Diario de Andalucía.

She struggled to qualify again -in sailing her modality is RS: X and for the only place that Spain had – after being a mother and overcoming all kinds of physical, economic and even emotional problems, and for now, she has not planned to retire from the discipline that loves so much, sentenced El País.

LatinAmerican Post | Onofre Zambrano

Translated from "Una madre olímpica: esta es la historia de la windsurfista Blanca Manchón"