Fernando Vázquez had a leap to glory to win bronze and give Argentina the fourth medal

“It’s money or shit, Fer. It’s now or tomorrow we cry”. With those words, Fernando Vazquez He gained the necessary motivation to fly in his last attempt over the sand of the Stade de France and this Monday he handed over to the Argentina the fourth medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. The man from Cordoba hanged himself bronze in the T12 category of the long jump eventto join Iñaki Basiloff (gold 200 meter medley SM7 swimming), Juan Samorano (bronze in the K44 category of up to 70 kilos of parataekwondo) now Antonella Ruiz Diaz (bronze in the F41 shot put category).

“The truth is that it is incredible because I achieved the medal in the last jump, so I am happy to continue working. I focused and it came out. I still haven’t fallen, but it was a lot of work and here is the result,” explained Vázquez, who on his sixth attempt reached the 6,88 metros to surpass two rivals, going from fifth to third place that gave him the bronze.

Vázquez was always interested in athletics. He started at age 12, stopped at age 14, and returned at age 17 “to never stop.” “Thank God it happened, I focused on the last jump and said: ‘It’s this one or there’s no more.’ And luckily she gave“he explained in statements to the specialized site Paradeportes.

“I want to dedicate it to my family, to my uncles who are in Río Tercero, also to my other coach Guillermo Mores,” he concluded, excited.

At his side was the person responsible for the words that began this text, Bruno Zanacchiyour guide, coach and friend. “He’s a divine, professional kid. The best thing is that he’s still young and can grow. I knew he had something to give, that he wasn’t doing well in the jumps, but I know him well and the same thing happened to him in Japan. No “I have words about what he did today,” he described it.

It was a dream Paralympic debut for Vázquez, an athlete with visual impairment and born in Paraguay, but who in a parallel with José ‘Maligno’ Torres – gold in BMX Freestyle in Paris 2024 – also grew up in Córdoba.

It is paradoxical that in November 2023, at the Parapan American Games in Chile, Vázquez was champion in the 100 meter dash, with a time of 11 seconds 18 hundredths. On that occasion, due to lack of space, he could not compete in the long jump, where he also had a chance for a medal.

A couple of months ago, at the World Cup held in Kobe, Japan, he had given a warning of what he could achieve. This time, there was space and the smile on her face will not be erased by anything or anyone.

After his movie comeback to win the gold medal in the 200 meter medley, Iñaki Basiloff wants to expand his history in the Paralympic Games this Monday. Starting at 12:30 (Argentine time), he will compete in the final of the 400 meter freestyle of the SM7 category, although in this case it would mean much more than a feat.

The man from Neuquén achieved the seventh best time to advance to the final of eight, only ahead of the Ukrainian Yurii Shenhur. Basiloff completed the test in 5 minutes 17 seconds and 33 hundredths, so he will have to improve if he wants to repeat the podium he obtained last Saturday.