Alberto Ginés López – 1st Runner-up The World Games Athlete of the Year
Alberto Ginés López (19) is the 1st runner-up in The World Games Athlete of the Year 2021 poll. The Spaniard, who won the first-ever gold medal in Sport Climbing at the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2021, gathered no less than 67,428 votes. In the interview, Alberto Ginés López says he loved his sport from the first day of training.
How did you start with Sport Climbing, and why did you choose it as your sport?
Alberto Ginés López: I started Sport Climbing when I was three years old with my father. He took me to a small climbing gym here in my hometown Cáceres. I think that on that first day I fell in love with the sport, and I decided that this was the sport I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
What do you consider your biggest strength in Sport Climbing?
Alberto Ginés López: My biggest strength is also my biggest weakness, which is my head, or let’s say, my brain. It helped me a lot in some competitions, for example in the Olympics. But it has also made me compete so badly in other competitions and some workouts.
How did it feel to win Gold at the Olympic Games in Tokyo? What was your key to success?
Alberto Ginés López: It felt just amazing, it was a dream I had for all my life! The key of the success, I think, was the plan of competitions. David, that is my Coach David Macia, and I had planned the best way of preparations together. We wanted to do a lot of speed climbing at our training sessions. We achieved the exact times we wanted to do. That helped me a lot to win the speed climbing in the final; I think it was the key.
How has your life changed after the Olympic gold medal?
Alberto Ginés López: My life now has changed a lot. I have got more and more attention from the media, journalists and new fans, and I have been a kind of celebrity in Spain for the last few months.
What advice would you give to boys and girls dreaming of a top sports career?
Alberto Ginés López: I think the best advice I could give to boys and girls is to enjoy the process, start to love what you are doing, and everything will come after that.
What would you like to say to the fans who voted for you in The World Games Athlete of the Year race? What does it mean for you?
Alberto Ginés López: I can just say thank you to all the people who have voted for me because I received a lot of love from the community :))
If you could not choose Sport Climbing, which of the sports of The World Games 2022 would you like to try and why?
Alberto Ginés López: I think if I could not climb, I would like to practise Gymnastics. It is a sport I practised when I was younger and I love it!
The World Games is a multi-sport event staged every four years by the International World Games Association, organised with the support of the International Olympic Committee. The 11th edition of The World Games will be held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 7-17 July 2022. 3,600 athletes from 34 sports and over 100 countries will take part in The World Games.
