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Mentoring for Euriclea research
Raul Garcia Hemonnet / Xabier Pinilla Bermejo
The URJC has a Paralympic medalist in its ranks. Jaime Andrés Mariño, 22 years old, competes in adapted cycling at a national level and in the last Spanish track championships He won six medals, four silver and two bronze. With only a year and a half in the competitive circuit, the future of this young man seems bright.
Jaime's goal is to get an economic scholarship where's the limit, which provides support to people who want to become professionals. "My goal is the Spanish team" he tells us. However, to win one of those scholarships, you need to get a lot of votes on the website. A help from the URJC students would help him since "as it is adapted cycling, training and achieving success entails many expenses".
Becoming a professional and reaching the Spanish team would bring him closer to fulfilling his greatest aspiration, playing in a Paralympic Games. "Being in the Olympic Games would be the culmination of a dream of many years, because it would be the best, but first you have to lower the times to reach the Spanish team and enjoy this whole process".
A life linked to sport
Before competing in cycling, Jaime had tried other sports such as soccer, basketball, surfing and rugby. However, at the beginning, the practice of exercise caused him rejection because his disability became visible. Jaime suffers from hemiparesis on the right side of the body, which causes decreased movement on this side.
Jaime started cycling at the age of 17 due to injury. His parents recommended that he practice another sport in which the risk of injury was not high and he decided on cycling. At 20 he began competing nationally in adaptive cycling and at 22 he is ready to take the next leap in his career.
Combine sport and studies
When he is not training, Jaime combines his sports career with studies for the Double Degree in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences and Primary Education. “People tell me I'm a little crazy, I study before going to uni, I go and train afterwards. Sometimes I study after training and then I go to bed, like this every day. I train 3 to 4 hours a day.
Also, try to finish the Double Degree in 4 years instead of the corresponding 6. “I go to more than one academic year per year, I want to finish in 4. If you set your mind to it and you mentalize yourself, you can achieve it. At the end of the day there are 24, there are many.
Asked about his choice of these careers, he replies: “My mother and sister are teachers. I love education, I would like to convey that sport accentuates values and that people try to fulfill their dreams, the bigger the better. That they know from a young age that the world is for them and that if they have it, they should try it because it will make them happy”
His goal, if the dream of his sports career goes awry, is to become a “physical education teacher or work in sports management. I would also like to become a physical trainer for people with disabilities or illnesses.” However, he first wants to explore the feasibility of becoming a professional athlete.