Marta Dominguez: A medal at London Olympics will be difficult | 27.11.2011

Marta Dominguez says a medal at the London Olympics may be a long shot for her.

In a lengthy interview with Spain’s El Mundo Deportivo, the Palentina explained why she thinks a medal at the 2012 Games is going to be complicated.

“Right now, I can’t train with the same intensity as before. Your body has to follow a kind of calendar and I only just about have time to get ready for the Olympics.

“You need one or two years to get back to being the same, to be able to give of your best after giving birth and that is what I am trying to do. I know I can easily get the qualifying time for the Olympics, but to be at the level I demand of myself is more difficult.

“There have been athletes who have come back strongly [after giving birth], but with more time to play with. Right now, I am not able to be competitive.

“A medal in London would not be a total surprise, but it will be difficult. The first thing you need is to be in shape, and then compete well on the day. My problem is that I need to be in shape right now, so that I can get the maximum out of my body.

“For example, I have not been able to work on my flexibility yet, nor practise the hurdles. It has been ten months of doing absolutely nothing, the longest period of my life without doing anything.

“If you get injured, you stop working on one part of your body, but you continue strengthening the rest. This time, during my pregnancy, I did nothing except walk for an hour a day.

“I’ve never competed very much, because I don’t need much to get into good shape, and that is what has kept me in athletics for so long. If I had competed more, I don’t think I would have lasted as long.”

Another complication for Dominguez in her quest to get fit for the London Olympics – apart from bringing up her son, Javier - is the fact that in the recent Spanish elections she was elected to the Spanish Senate for the new ruling centre-right Partido Popular.

“I try to spend as much time with my son as possible, but I have to train and from December 13 onwards I have my responsibilities as a Senator to fulfil. I get a lot of help from my husband, my parents and the in-laws.”

And after the Olympics, will she pursue a political career to the exclusion of athletics?

“I’ll decide after the Olympics. I have a responsibility within politics now for the next four years. I shall have to look at that as well as my physical shape and make up my mind.”