Sergio Garrote It has gone from absolute darkness to total ecstasy. This has taken 20 years. Exactly those that separate the work accident in construction that he suffered in 2001 and the gold medal in Tokyo 2020. A journey that has been worthwhile and that has culminated with the best of news: Champion !!!.
But hanging this golden medal around the neck of the Catalan H2 time trial cyclist today has a great story behind it. A history of decisions, work, help, family, sacrifice, friends, coincidences and above all of ambition and tenacity.
A damn fall
Garrote, born in Viladecans 42 years ago, was working in construction when in 2001 he fell from a scaffold. He never walked again. The column had split. It was a hard blow because Sergio was one of those ‘chulitos’ who thought he would eat the world but as he commented in his day in Marca “the world ate me.” His ambition turned to resignation when he was told that he would never walk again.
His love of bikes was parked. Garrote was convinced that it would be forever. The sport was over for him. Once your new paraplegic status is accepted decided to start studying medicine and later criminology, and he also flirted with other sports, but 14 years ago he crossed Paralympic cycling in his life and it was his salvation.
He tried a ‘handbike’ and the feeling he had was so gratifying that he no longer left it. Feeling the adrenaline rushing through his veins again was what prompted him to seek all possible information, get a second-hand adapted bike and start this sport.
A spectacular progression
His progression was spectacular and six months after debuting he already won a Spanish Cup and a week later he was European champion.
Important results were achieved in 2016 and the Tokyo Paralympic Games were already targeted. He arrived at the appointment in a great moment of form and looked with a chance to win gold, but the postponement due to the coronavirus pandemic was another blow. However, he found a way to take advantage of the confinement to improve aspects and arrive at the Paralympic event in optimal conditions.
And so it has been. Day D Hour H has arrived in full, what has resulted in a valuable gold medal.
An emotion more than justified
Sergio’s emotion after achieving it was total. “Not in my best dreams could I imagine getting this here. I admit that as soon as I saw the circuit, something moved inside me, it was the terrain that I like the most because I am a very climber and I like to climb, but I did not imagine it a month and a half ago. “
The gold medal carried a special dedication: “I would like to dedicate all this to my wife, my daughter and all my family who have put up with me a lot to get here, for all the effort they have made. This medal and this triumph I would not have been able to achieve without them. Miriam, this triumph is yours, I have only executed it“, he said in a sea of tears, but tears of the most beautiful, of those of total emotion.
The Catalan cyclist acknowledged that “I came here to take it all out and this was the culmination, the end of a job and more in a test like the time trial, a reigning test in which the greats rise.” And so it is. Sergio Garrote is already one of the greats.
In the H3 time trial race, Luis Miguel García Marquina won the bronze medal. A new success then in the morning of cycling at the Fuji International Circuit.