There are only a couple of journalists waiting for Alvaro Robles after finishing his participation in the Olympic Games. His story is one of those that go unnoticed, even though Princess Sofia and Infanta Leonor waited in a room in the pavilion to take a photo with him and encourage him after losing in the second round against the Brazilian Hugo Calderón, one of the medal favourites. But Álvaro, after attending to the royalty, retraced his steps to attend to the person writing here. He knows that, in a couple of days, his name will be hidden again in the media fog. As if, suddenly, he ceased to exist. In Spain, few understand that table tennis can be a profession. Imagine who dedicates himself to it. Imagine their problems, those of ordinary people.
“I feel the sadness of having finished. But everything I trained for, everything I worked for, came out in these Games. I have nothing more…”. Before, last Sunday, he had already been eliminated in the pairs category after reaching the quarter-finals with Maria Xiaothe best result ever for Spain. What does it matter? After the momentary glow, reality.
Álvaro Robles with Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía at the Versailles Gate. / House of His Majesty the King
Álvaro, born in the same neighborhood of Huelva as the badminton champion Carolina Marinhad to emigrate to Germany to earn a living in table tennis. And he discovered that family conciliation was going to be impossible. At first he tried to have a long-distance relationship with his wife, Ana. They had a daughter, Valeria. But that was unsustainable, so the three of them went to Ochsenhausen, a small town between Stuttgart and Munich. There his second son was born, still an 11-month-old baby, who has stayed in Madrid with his aunt these days. “It has been very difficult. I travel a lot, and Ana has spent a lot of time alone in Germany with the two children. She has given everything so that I can achieve my dreams. And she has given up hers. Yes. Ana has given everything. That is why we are now returning to Spain, to Granada. I owe her that.”
Ana had a clothing store in Madrid. She studied pattern making and fashion. But she decided to accompany Álvaro so that he could continue with his aspirations.
“In the life of an athlete, sometimes it’s now or never. You have to seize the moment. But he is very selfish…”. And Alvaro sighs before continuing with his story.
Álvaro Robles celebrates a point in his match against Brazilian Hugo Calderano. / Europa Press
“Valeria, who is about to turn three, has been going to kindergarten in Germany. It’s incredible what she has absorbed, what she has learned. She is very small, but she plays in German. But this is a very big sacrifice… I have a hard time every time I leave. We have reached the point where I finish a tournament, I have just played, and I don’t want to be there for another second if my family is not there. I leave. I leave quickly. It’s difficult because sometimes you don’t enjoy the good things that this gives you. I miss them since I left. My daughter, when she sees me with the suitcase… [Álvaro respira hondo, y continúa]. It’s hard”.
“I am 33 years old. I have maybe 10 more years left. If you reach a level like mine, you can live. You reap the rewards, but you pay a very high price in many other things. I have always envied the person who can earn a salary and live in their own home, in their city. I am a constant emigrant. I would love to be able to work and live on my salary, but I have to keep travelling.”
Ana and Valeria were in the stands cheering on the loser. Here, at the Games, Victories do not have to be sporting. Álvaro’s mother, Mercedes, was not sitting still in her chair. His father, Guillermo, used his mobile phone to capture his son’s emotions. His sister and brother-in-law, Lara and Ismael, were also there. They just wanted to see someone happy whom they hardly ever see.
“Now I have to move from Germany to Granada. Then I’m away for three weeks because I have to play in the Indian league. This doesn’t stop. It’s a huge sacrifice.”
And Álvaro Robles returns to the pavilion, with his invisible history on his back.