Coronavirus Stories: Jeinkler Aguirre and his Olympic Approach (+ Photos)

In dialogue with the platform jumper Jeinkler Aguirre (June 14th, 1990) from Camaguey, came to my mind great performances that included him and the best Cuban diver of all times, José Antonio Guerra, mainly in the 2008-2012 cycle, the one of greater splendor in difficulties.

His teammates Jorge Betancourt, Erick Fornaris, and Jorge Luis Pupo, as the backbone of a team coached by the experienced Lino Socorro.

The truth is that Jeinkler, an active survivor of that legion, keeps alive his aspirations to enter the Olympic Games, but the Coronavirus got stronger and paralyzed everything when on the horizon they had the World Cup as an earthly scenario of possible classification.

Thanks to the benefits of social networks, we were able to dialogue with the athlete, who keeps a strict individual physical training regime at home:

We know that diving is not undergoing its finest moment. What real chances of classification did you see or still see in relation to the current team?

“Considering the results exhibited in the last competitions, real chances of classification just Anisley García (la Tuti), and myself. But it’s extremely important to train under this environment and group dynamics, for encouragement, drive, even technical corrections and details that the coaches advise us on a daily basis.

I’ve been a little more than a month and two weeks quarantined, I keep an exercise routine every afternoon with the equipment I have at home but it’s not the same. ”

By the way, any specific plan that you are following?

"I focus on working all my body: abdomen and back are crucial in our sport, as well as arms, legs, shoulders. I don't have a strict routine; I review them all and I vary so it doesn’t get boring”.

How has it been the monitoring of coaches from the distance?

“They have been very focused. Both my coach Pedro Hernández and Commissioner Milagros González call or text me practically every day and they are constantly motivating us. ”

Had you changed something in your jumping program?

"No, I was still with the same I had in the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru 2019, my last international competition", where by the way Jeinkler was not entirely accurate, as he finished 9th on the individual platform (394.15 points), and 8th joining efforts with Yusmandy Paz (315.90) ​​in the synchro jump.

Do you consider it fair to have postponed the Tokyo Olympics and stopped all competition at World and national level?

"Of course. It was the best call. It’s about doing everything for everyone’s health, athletes or not. ”

How do you see your future in the synchronized jump with Yusmandy?

"Pretty good. We lack a few elements related to competitive experience together, quality in the executions, complexity of our program and synchronization, but he has potential and we are confident on each other, since I pass onto him my experience of 15 years in the national team. ”

Which jump gives you more security when executing it?

"Three and a half turns inside."

The moment of your sports career that you remember with greatest pleasure?

“The 2009 World Cup in Rome and bronze on the synchronized platform with José. It was an excellent competition, although it’s not our best lifetime score together, it was 460 and some”.

In that competition, the duo of China (482.58), followed by the United States (456.84), and ours falling short from the North Americans with (456.60).

What was the forte of José and you as a duo?

"The confidence that we would always get on the platform to do our best."

How much have he and teacher Lino Socorro impacted in your career?

"A lot. They were vital links to take the Cuban diving to the world elite. Next to José, I trained for more than eight years and learned a lot with him ”.

That, besides asking the most in individual competitions, since they became an enviable, ambitious, dedicated platform duo always ready to face each challenge either as a duo or single.

How have injuries damaged your sports career?

"It’s been hard. Spine injury was a long shadow for a long time, to the extent of preventing me from increasing the level of difficulty in the dives, mainly before the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto and the end of the cycle in Rio 2016. In the end I was able to improve considerably with an ozone-therapy treatment I underwent”.

What would you recommend to the rest of the Cuban sports movement and to people in general?

“The first thing is for them to stay home, to terminate this pandemic. That they follow all sanitary measures to the letter. Patience and discipline are important weapons to defeat the Coronavirus. "

Jeinkler is today the drive for the diving team because of his experience. Let's hope he stays focused and once again gets to the Olympic Games, to honor the symbol of Olympism tattooed on his skin.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff