National> Society
Mexican figure skater Donovan Carrillo received the Will Sears Award this Thursday in New York for perseverance in his passion for the sport, a recognition he described as a “watershed” for his career and for Mexico in an interview with Efe.
Hours before slipping down the Chelsea Piers runway to a gala presented by the New York Ice Theater company, which awards him the award, Carrillo paused after training and said he felt “grateful for the opportunity,” which he hopes he continues to open doors for him.
The skater explained that after realizing his dream of reaching the February Winter Olympics, his goal is “to be in the top fifteen places in a world competition”, which he recognizes as complicated by the level but which he pursues “with a hunger for achieve it”.
Carrillo, 22, appeared in the Big Apple after debuting at the Figure Skating Grand Prix in Norwood (Massachusetts, USA), which he recalled as a “pleasant experience” despite the elements not coming out “like in practice”. self-criticism that encourages him to “improve this season”.
And it is that the young athlete, who became the first Mexican skater to compete in a Winter Games in 30 years and has a legion of followers, says he tries to do “things with pleasure” and that “it’s nice that you recognize. “, but don’t forget to” keep your feet on the ground “.
In this sense, he acknowledged that he appreciates the public in the United States: “Skating is a bridge for us Latinos and Mexicans around the world, and I feel connected to them. There are many people who have emigrated and have difficult histories, with effort and sacrifices “, he explained.
The Olympic finalist said he empathizes with these emigrants and that the possibility of them identifying with him is something that motivates him to keep growing, to which he added: “The pattern that unites us is that those of us who place gods we are the limits “.
In addition to this motto, the athlete encourages his followers to “fight for dreams”, as did that boy from Zapopan (Mexico) who has fulfilled his dream of skating for the past 14 years, and “takes advantage of opportunities to his disposition, even if not being the best “.
Carrillo, who is already looking at the Milan 2026 Olympics, assures that “time flies” and that he must grow hand in hand with his sport, which is why he follows a hard training of about 6 or 7 hours a day, half on the track of skating, “to reach an optimal sporting level”.
Editing: Emilio Gomez
