Spanish swimming is reborn in the short course with three exciting gold medals

In a World Cup touch, almost in black and white, the successes of Martin Lopez Zubero and Nina Zivaneskaia; and those of Mireia Belmontesettled into another phase of their lives, were sidelined at Budapest 2017. Hence, the sporadic joy of world gold Hugo Gonzalez on 200 backstrokes in Doha 2024, and at a distance from the great powers of this sport. In Europe, where Spain has 20 gold medals, in recent times we have found a certain motivation and a path that can reach great heights, although success is also treated with caution, because the international panorama is reduced at this stage of the journey, but we find the motivation and energy to continue on this path.

There is a lot of weight in the names of Zivaneskaia and especially that of Mireia Belmonte in Spanish swimming. and he doesn’t want Carmen Weiler succumb to him. The 21-year-old girl, of Spanish mother and German father, born in Bangkok, who grew up in Singapore and who now studies at Virginia Tech University, is forging a path that has reached important milestones in recent times. The student of Sergi López distinguished himself among the juniors and rubbed shoulders with the best at the Paris Games, qualifying for the first time for a place in the final, and at the Singapore World Cup, with two semi-finals to his credit.

In her own way, building a career based on strengthening the technical part, it was in this European Championship that she won her first international title, with this gold medal in the 200 backstroke, won during a face-to-face with the Frenchwoman Pauline Mahieu.

He was released Hugo Gonzalez in a tournament of this magnitude after a journey of ups and downs in 2024 during which he was closer to leaving the pool than diving back in. After his university studies in the United States, he returned to Spain and settled in Terrassa. There, small objectives, more daily than prospective, to readjust to what he wanted and how he wanted it. With the responsibility of continuing to carry on his shoulders the options of Spanish swimming and with the frustration of not having qualified for the World Cup in Singapore. But with his newfound hunger and belief, González threw himself into the Lublin pool and came out the other side with a gold medal after a magnificent race in the 400m medley where he dominated his best move, the backstroke, refined the breaststroke and stopped the momentum of Italian Alberto Razzetti until the end to culminate in a personal best of 1:51.39.

He leads through competitions and triumphs, and at 26 years old, a small group which wants to give of itself and give itself joy and in which he is also Carles Coll. Also with giant steps and 2025 firmness among the elite, the 24-year-old Catalan had already won the World Cup last year in Budapest, and in Lublin he defends his crown in the 200 breaststroke in a great battle with Caspar Corbeau. Coll also removes the thorn that hit him first at Paris 2024 and then at the 50-meter Pool World Cup last summer, where he wanted to take a risk given the difference with his rivals and found himself halfway through in Singapore. Nothing that the one man who managed to go under two minutes in the 200 breaststroke cannot reverse. And it exploded in Lublin in style.

Spain says goodbye with these three exciting gold medals to strengthen the path to higher levels, and with other names that emerge in this Polish group and which will have to be taken into account, such as those of Alba Vazquez and Emma Carrascosilver and bronze in 400 styles.

In European long pool The following gold medals were obtained: Martín López Zubero: 100 backstroke (1989); Martín López Zubero: 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke (1991); Martín López Zubero: 100 back (1993); Martín López Zubero: 100 back (1997); María Peláez: 200 Butterflies (1997); Frederik Hviid: 400 styles (1999); David Ortega: 100 backstroke (2000); Nina Zivaneskaia: 50 back, 100 and 200 back (2000); Nina Zivaneskaia: 50 Returns (2002); Érika Villaécija: 800 free (2004), 4×200 (2004); Mireia Belmonte: 200 styles (2008); Rafa Muñoz: 50 butterfly (2010); Rafa Muñoz: 50 butterfly (2012); Mireia Belmonte: 1,500 free (2012); Mercedes Peris: 50 rear (2012); Mireia Belmonte: 1,500 and 200 butterfly (2014); Duane da Rocha: 200 backstroke (2014); and Hugo González: 200 styles (2021).