Gymnast Ray Zapata , who won the silver medal on the floor at the Tokyo Olympic Games , assured this Friday that thanks to the work with his psychologist he has been able to enjoy the success of being runner-up . “Now I’m enjoying my Olympic silver … Before, when I saw myself finishing second in a competition, I said: What the fuck!”

Teresa Perales celebrates her silver in the 50 meters backstroke class S5 in Tokyo 2020
In a forum on mental health, the Olympic runner-up explained that he started going to the psychologist after realizing that he was “obsessed” and that he even gave up his Christmas holidays to continue training. “When I got to the competition, an 18-year-old boy beat me. I thought, ‘ I have stayed training at home to finish first and I have finished fifth!’ “, has explained.

Now, after going through therapy, he has realized that he was ” overtrained ” and that challenges “do not need to put so much energy, but the right energy.” For this reason, he worked with his psychologist that many of the objectives that one set does not depend on oneself , but on other external factors.

For the Olympics he set out to achieve a score of 15, which was what he thought he needed to be an Olympic Champion, which meant nailing five series in the final. “I nailed and I was runner-up. The objective did not depend on me because we have another factor that is the judges, they are the ones who score and there are many interests there ”.

“The Spanish people and the whole world have seen that it (the medal) is really gold , but I cannot control that. I know it is made of silver but my heart knows that it is made of gold and I am happier than anyone ”, he added.

The example of Simone Biles
Ray Zapata also praises the “brave and necessary” example of the American Simone Biles . “She has shown that she does not play sports for anyone but herself. If you are not well psychologically, no matter how much people tell you, you have to stop . Gymnastics is a very difficult sport. We get lost in the air, we lose our bearings … you can fall headlong and become paraplegic ”.

Gymnast Ray Zapata , who won the silver medal on the floor at the Tokyo Olympic Games , assured this Friday that thanks to the work with his psychologist he has been able to enjoy the success of being runner-up . “Now I’m enjoying my Olympic silver … Before, when I saw myself finishing second in a competition, I said: What the fuck!”

Teresa Perales celebrates her silver in the 50 meters backstroke class S5 in Tokyo 2020
In a forum on mental health, the Olympic runner-up explained that he started going to the psychologist after realizing that he was “obsessed” and that he even gave up his Christmas holidays to continue training. “When I got to the competition, an 18-year-old boy beat me. I thought, ‘ I have stayed training at home to finish first and I have finished fifth!’ “, has explained.

Now, after going through therapy, he has realized that he was ” overtrained ” and that challenges “do not need to put so much energy, but the right energy.” For this reason, he worked with his psychologist that many of the objectives that one set does not depend on oneself , but on other external factors.

For the Olympics he set out to achieve a score of 15, which was what he thought he needed to be an Olympic Champion, which meant nailing five series in the final. “I nailed and I was runner-up. The objective did not depend on me because we have another factor that is the judges, they are the ones who score and there are many interests there ”.

“The Spanish people and the whole world have seen that it (the medal) is really gold , but I cannot control that. I know it is made of silver but my heart knows that it is made of gold and I am happier than anyone ”, he added.

The example of Simone Biles
Ray Zapata also praises the “brave and necessary” example of the American Simone Biles . “She has shown that she does not play sports for anyone but herself. If you are not well psychologically, no matter how much people tell you, you have to stop . Gymnastics is a very difficult sport. We get lost in the air, we lose our bearings … you can fall headlong and become paraplegic ”.