Author name: Pablo Martínez

Andrea Astrain, a Mexican figure skater, returned to competition at the 2024 NRW Trophy after recovering from an injury, finishing in 12th place. Her goal is to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Astrain Maynez, a national team figure skater, participated in her first competitive event after recovering from a knee injury, which had forced her to take a break from skating. She competed in the 2024 NRW Trophy, held from November 13 to 17 in Dortmund, Germany, finishing in 12th place with a total of 104.99 points across her two routines.     “It was my first event back after the knee injury, which made me step away from skating, and now I’m rebuilding. I’m very grateful for all the support from CONADE that allowed me to compete again and I’m ready to continue the season,” said the skater, who had a meeting with Rommel Pacheco, the director-general of the Comisión Nacional de Cultura Física y Deporte (CONADE), to discuss her preparations for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Astrain, originally from Sonora, began practicing figure skating at the age of 13 after moving to Mexico City and discovering an ice rink. In a short period, she became the national youth champion and is currently the senior national champion. She also qualified for the 2022 Junior World Championships. This season, the Mexican skater aims to accumulate points in the international rankings, which will allow her to participate in the most relevant competitions. Her long-term goal is to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics.     Also of interest: Donovan Carrillo concluyó participación en torneo nacional rumbo al Mundial 2025 “My next events are the National Championship, which will be this weekend in Metepec, State of Mexico, and then we’ll have another international competition in Istanbul, Turkey, on December 5. My goal there is to accumulate points and improve areas of opportunity because there’s always room for improvement,” said the 21-year-old athlete, who is training under the guidance of Gregorio Núñez, the first coach of Donovan Carrillo. “For me, figure skating means many things. First of all, it’s what I love doing most in life, and it represents a lot of effort, discipline, beauty, freedom, movement, challenges, and obstacles. But above all, it’s about self-improvement and never giving up—it’s my favorite phrase,” emphasized the figure skater.

Guadalajara hosts the Para Swimming World Series 2024 from November 21-24, with 218 athletes from 11 countries. Mexico will seek to surpass its 46 medals from 2023. For the second consecutive year, Guadalajara, Jalisco, will host the Para Swimming World Series, which will take place from November 21 to 24. This event is part of the qualification process for the Para Swimming World Championship in Singapore 2025.     In this edition, 218 athletes from 11 countries will participate, highlighting the presence of 158 Mexican swimmers, of which 83 are men and 75 are women. Among the most outstanding representatives are Haydee Viviana Aceves Pérez, double silver medalist at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games; Jesús Alberto Gutiérrez Bermúdez, bronze winner at Paris 2024; and Patricia Valle Benítez, a historical figure with eight Paralympic Games in her career and 11 medals in total.     The official opening will take place today, November 21, at 7:30 p.m. (Mexico Central Time) at the Guadalajara Metropolitan Aquatic Center. Preliminary competitions will begin at 9:00 a.m., and the finals will be held starting at 5:00 p.m. One of the most outstanding athletes in this sport is Fabiola Ramírez, originally from León, Guanajuato, who has been recognized as the best female athlete with a high degree of disability in 2021 and 2022 by the World Para Swimming Series. In the 2023 edition, Mexico achieved an excellent performance, winning 46 medals: 14 gold, 20 silver, and 12 bronze.     This international competition, organized by World Para Swimming, was held for the first time in Mexico in 2022, in Tijuana, Baja California.

After completing his third Olympic cycle, Edgar Rivera Morales has set his sights on the 2025 season, with a primary focus on the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan. Following his participation in the Olympics and a five-week break, the Sonora-born high jumper has resumed training in La Paz, Baja California, under the guidance of Julio Prado. Rivera will spend three months in the city refining his performance in preparation for the indoor season, which kicks off in Europe this January.     “We prepared well to perform at our best in the Olympics, and that experience will guide us moving forward,” Rivera said. “This break allowed me to recover fully, mentally and physically, so I can start the new season feeling motivated and fresh.” The pre-season stage is critical for Rivera, requiring both in-person and remote coaching. “Pre-season is essential; it lays the foundation for a solid year. Once the indoor season begins, my coach provides remote workouts, but this phase is best done in person,” he explained. You might also like: Edgar Rivera concludes his journey in the Indoor Athletics World Tour Rivera’s competitive calendar will likely start in February, with the goal of qualifying for the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, at the end of March. However, his ultimate priority remains the World Athletics Championships in September. “I’m feeling strong and healthy right now, with no injuries, which is key,” Rivera stated. “Every season, I stay focused on competing and giving my best.” Although a fourth Olympic appearance is still on the horizon, Rivera emphasized a step-by-step approach: “As long as I stay motivated, feel good, and enjoy what I do, there’s no reason to stop.”

Edgar Rivera Morales, after completing his third Olympic cycle, is now focused on preparing for the 2025 season, with his primary goal set on the World Athletics Championships. Following his participation in the Olympic Games and a five-week break, Rivera has resumed his pre-season training in La Paz, Baja California. The 33-year-old high jumper from Sonora will spend around three months training in the peninsula city under the guidance of Julio Prado, fine-tuning his performance for the indoor season set to start in Europe this January. “We prepared well to arrive in great shape for the Olympics, and we felt and lived that experience,” Rivera shared. “With this in mind, I’ll continue balancing my professional and personal life. The break was necessary to recover properly and to start the next season with fresh motivation and a healthy body and mind.” Rivera explained that while part of his training with his coach is remote, the pre-season stage requires in-person guidance. “Pre-season is crucial as it provides the energy for a strong season. Once I start the indoor season, my coach will send me workout plans, but this part needs to be done in person,” he added. You might also like: Edgar Rivera concludes his participation in the Indoor Athletics World Tour Looking ahead, Rivera mentioned that his competitive season will likely begin in February, aiming to qualify for the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, scheduled for late March. However, his top priority is the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, set for September. “Right now, I feel good, healthy, and strong. I haven’t had any injuries, which is very important. When I start a season, I take it seriously and stay focused on competing and performing well,” Rivera noted. While he hasn’t ruled out a potential fourth Olympic Games, Rivera emphasized a step-by-step approach, stating, “As long as I’m motivated, eager, and feeling good, I see no reason to quit.”