Articles

MY TEAM

MY TEAM

 

‘Coming together is a beginning, staying together is a progress and working together is a success’

On your marks!

One thing I've discovered during my career is that while athletics is considered to be an individual sport par excellence, it is absolutely necessary to surround yourself with the right people for the knowledge and financial backing to be able to achieve the objectives creating the best working environment possible. Therefore, in this section, I will introduce you to my coach (Miguel Angel Torralba Jordan) and my guide (Enric Martín Panadés), two key figures who do my athletic activity possible.

Before talking about Miguel and Enric, I would like to mention the person in charge of setting up and maintaining my body, Isabel Arbonés, my Physio and masseur confidence, who has worked for many years in the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation.

Image of Xavi, Enric and miguel with the lyon 2013 championship official poster in the background

Get set!

Miguel Angel Torralba Jordan, has an Education degree in Physical Education and a Ph.D. in Science Education from the University of Barcelona. He served as head of the female section of jumps of the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation between 1984-1988, but it was in 1992 a magic year for both the Olympic and Paralympic, when he became part of the sports world adapted as a coach of jumps in the Spanish Blind Sports Federation.

Our relationship began in 1998, the year that I started my career. Miguel is the main responsible for everything I have been and I am as an athlete. He is the voice that guides me when making jumps as well as the one who plans the fitness workouts and the trainings. There is no doubt that over the time our relationship has not been exclusively on sports, it has also evolved into a great friendship that will last forever.

Image of Xavi and Miguel Angel with a statue of the town London 2012

Go!

Degree in geography and topographical engineer, Enric Martín Panadés practiced athletics from 1986 to 2006 and got great records in 100m 10.68s, 21.40s in 200m, 400m in 47.74s or 7.32m in the long jump, marks which let him to participate in many tournaments in Catalonia and Spain as well as a junior international in Lisbon or a sub 23 in Liverpool.

After giving up the athletic practice due to studies and labor issues for three years, in 2009 Miguel and I proposed him to be my guide, fortunately, he agreed with no problems. Enric became my eyes in and out of the tracks, because apart from being a guide when training hard to get the results we want, he is responsible for guiding me when entering the room of a hotel or visiting the center in which we are competing; he tells me about the food and refreshments I can order, describes the girl we met in the street and more…As with Miguel and the other guides I've had, what began as a sports relationship has led to a great friendship.

Image of Xavi and Enric at the entrance to the Paralympic Village at London 2012

The race continues!

In 2010 the company Manxa and the academy JPS English School from Olot join my project, but it is in March of 2014 when my career makes a qualitative leap, as Mark Hirsch happens to be my manager, advising me on all aspects surrounding the athlete and helping me in the search for sponsors and partners, incorporating Power Gym and La finestra sul Cielo and in January 2015 the company Merchandising and Promotional Marketing Mei-kin is incorporated.

From now on I will continue doing my best in all trainings and competitions to meet the expectations of those who believe in me; I’ll fight for more companies and entities to believe in my project with one goal: to keep growing as an athlete and person!

Image which shows sponsors logos MANXA, Powergym, La Finestra sul Cielo, JPS English School and Meikin already have joined at XP Project and Paralympic as official organization.