The impressive story of Donovan Carrillo, the Mexican who will take part in the Winter Olympics and train on the slopes of shopping malls

Carrillo will be training at the Beijing Olympics.

Photo: Reformagentur / Reformagentur

In Mexico City No snow has fallen in 55 years, but that doesn’t change the fact that there are athletes who are phenomena on the ice. And that is the case Donovan Carrillo, a figure skater who will be the only Mexican to see action for the next few years Olympic Winter Games 2022 held in Beijing, China.

The presence of cheek will be iconic at the Olympics not just because it’s Mexican, but because was the only one of the athletes who represented Mexico at the Olympic event to self-prepare in the North American country; What is more impressive, however, is that due to the lack of infrastructure in the country, he trains on the ice rinks in the shopping centers.

In an interview with Medio Tiempo, Carrillo made it clear that he is proud to belong to the label “Made in Mexico” and that he will try to enrich the Latin American culture and the country in his presentations.

“I love my country, its customs, traditions and music and I like to be a missionary in figure skating.. I try to improve being Mexican in my exhibitions throughout my career. I feel close to people, I grew up here my athletic training took place in Mexico and I feel that I have the stamp “made in Mexico”‘”He said.

His words coincide with his performances on the Beijing ice rink, as songs by Elvis Crespo, Carlos Santana and Carlos Rivera.

“For these Olympic Games we have a remix by Carlos Santana in the short program and in the free program we have a mixture of different songs like ‘Perhaps, Maybe, Maybe’ by Carlos Rivera and we close with ‘Bailar’ by Elvis Crespo”, he revealed .

Although he was in the competition for several years, it didn’t last until in 2016, which hit Mexico’s sports radar as it went viral with a performance on the theme of Hasta Que Te Conoí by Juan Gabriel. skated.

Carrillo believes that experience is fundamental to any athlete, and that’s why will take this Olympics as an apprenticeship to focus on Milan 2026, because for him a dream comes true to be one of the 30 best skaters in the world.

“What I enjoy most (at the Olympics) is learning. As my first games, they will serve as a reference for my training for the next Olympic cycle in 2026. I have to prepare even better for the next four years and achieve an even better result. I hope (…) to reach my athletic level and make history for Mexico, ”said the athlete.

The one who was born in Jalisco but currently lives in León becomes the sixth athlete to compete for Mexico at the Winter Olympics after Sarah Schleper, Rodolfo Dickson, Robert Franco, Germán Madrazo and Hubertus von Hohenlohe, the latter compete in six games.

Carrillo, 22, qualified for the Beijing 2022 Olympics by finishing 20th in the World Seniors Championships 2021 in Stockholm, Swedenand will represent Mexico in figure skating from February 4, 2022.

You may also be interested in:

Curious: What is the relationship between Canelo Álvarez and an actor on the HBO series Euphoria?