Ray Zapata (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, May 26, 1993) completed the collection of medals in Tokyo in major international events: gold at the European Games (2015), silver at the Olympics (2020) and bronze at the World Cup (2015). ). The Canarian gymnast attended AS to talk about his career and what he hopes for the future.
Does one of so many events and tributes get tired after achieving an Olympic silver?
No, what’s up … and for something like that I sacrificed so much: to achieve a success that my country and I would be proud of. Honestly, I have lost count of the acts to which I have been invited, but a medal carries this section, no problem. Now I must rest (he does not compete in the World Cups) and gather strength to prepare for the next season.
The cycle between Rio and Tokyo was not easy at all.
Effectively. First, in the 2016 Games I did not perform at the level I wanted. Then I broke my Achilles tendon, with a very expensive rehabilitation, I injured my ankle, I was left out of international events such as the World Cup … However, I managed to turn the situation around. I qualified for Tokyo through the World Cups and got the silverware. A good comeback, right?
Did you deserve more in your Olympic floor exercise?
It tasted like gold to me. I got the same mark as the winner (14,933 points, like the Israeli Artem Dolgopyat: he lost the silver for the difficulty one tenth lower than his program) and that day I didn’t even know how the tiebreaker was valued. I think I have been underestimated throughout my career, but in the end the results are there, and in my record I have metals in Games, in World Cups and in Europe.
His Zapata II became one of the three most difficult and highest rated items in the men’s code of punctuation.
I feel like a crack, although there will be news soon. Maybe not in a month, but maybe in four I discover a little something, depending on the competition in which I present the element. I am going with two new exercises, which are very good, although I would not define them as bombshell as Zapata II. Looking ahead to Paris 2024 I will work a third, which I have not started training yet, but I already prepared a little a while ago and it may go well. If it comes out, I will make history in a big way.
Is only gold worth in Paris?
Yes. I put it on myself as a personal challenge, not due to external or media demands, far from it. I have already experienced the pressure with silver, now it’s time to play to reach gold, and I will only achieve that with ambition, hard work and bravado.
Did you imagine such a career when you arrived in the Canary Islands at the age of nine?
No not at all. It was very difficult for me to adapt to Lanzarote until gymnastics emerged. In Santo Domingo he would not stop still, from here to there. Later, we were three children and it cost my family financial sacrifices. That is why I always try to help them. Today I am an Olympic medalist and Olympia’s father (Ray chose Ana Peleteiro as the little girl’s godmother). That awful!