The palist of the Royal Nautical Club of Seville, Javi Reja already dreams of the medal at the Paralympic Tokyo 2020 (RFEP)

The Andalusian Javier Reja did not get the classification for the Paralympic final of Paracanoe KL2 200 thus ending its participation and that of Spain in the first JJPP Rio 206. The Spanish finished sixth in semi-finals with four places in play for the final. In the first series of KL2 200, he finished fifth far from overcoming the favorites.

Previous: Javier Reja the first Paralympic palist

Javi Reja will be in Rio the only representative of the international elite of the Spanish Paracanoe. Its immediate adaptation to the pyragüism and its subsequent meteor conversion from canoist to kayakist are an example for all. The Paracanoe program includes a total of 3 male and 3 female tests, finally all in Kayak, on the distance of 200 meters and will be held in a double day on the same stage as the Canoe Sprint, the Lagoa Stadium, where the Olympic team won three of its four Olympic medals in the JJOO Rio 2016. On Wednesday, 14 September, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., the series will be held in all categories and on Friday, 15 from 9 a.m. to 11.50 September, the semi-finals and the six finals of the Paralympic programme of Rio 2016.

Javier Reja the first Spanish Paralympic palist (RFEP)

For those of us who have seen the rapid evolution of these years it is inevitable to see in a reliable way how our sport has become an example of integration, naturally accommodating the Paracanoe as a discipline of the Canoe Sprint competition program in World Championships, European Championships and World Cups, as well as in the national calendar. It is impossible not to get excited by remembering the video in which Catalan Silvia Elvira presented her sports project for Rio 2016 for which she fought until the last moments. If Javi and Silvia are now sports references and their ability to overcome is as exemplary as admirable, they face many illusions and are gold ambassadors of our sport. As will be other younger palists such as Adrian Castaño, Jonah García, María Calvo, Elena Naveiro or Hana who have made the Olympic cycle a vital project than by the hand of sport, by the hand of pyragüism, it seems to find no limits. They will be safe to refer to in the next Olympic cycle.