“Since I was born.” Three words that well define the growth of Alejandro Gállego in badminton. Because he saw the light with the shuttlecock, he has been growing with it and a racket, infected by the passion that his father, Quique, has for this sport with which he has known every corner of Spain and has enjoyed numerous trips beyond our borders to play international tournaments.
From “playing” with his father informally, he now went to the court with his teammates from the Huesca Badminton Club. -he would have been six or seven years old, remember- and so on to this day. His little brother, Hugo, follow in his wake. Alejandro already enjoyed his first European Championship last year – just in San Lorenzo. It was in Lithuania. This weekend he begins his participation in the U19 European Championship held in Ibiza.
The young player from Huesca, who He is in his 2nd year of Baccalaureate at the IES Ramón y Cajal, He does everything he can to combine studies and sports and is grateful for the support he receives from the Institute with a brilliant academic record. Alexander is in the orbit of the Spanish Federation through the monitoring program for a possible incorporation into the CAR of the Blume Residence. In the last call, added to the results he has been obtaining in the tournaments, his response has found an echo that has led to the call to be part of the team that will compete in the European Championship. And about one Possible scholarship at CAR, he would love it. “It is the option that would allow me to be super involved in the sport, the Blume is to be in the elite of badminton, you can combine it well with studies and they make it easier for you. You can go to more international tournaments with individual and team competitions with the national team. Many doors open for you. I hope I can live it. Of course I would love to. Until now, the coaches take me into account and that’s why they keep calling me up,” he responds enthusiastically.
Last year in Lithuania he was in the “oldest” group in the U-17 European Championship and now it is his turn to the other side of the shore, “the youngest” in the U-19. “The goal is to go step by step, Play each game as if it were a final. I arrived in my best moment physically, mentally, tactically and technically. We have worked on all of this with my coach (Roberto Mollinedo) and what it is about is capturing that work to the maximum. AND enjoy the championship. It is an experience that I have already lived and it is very nice to be able to be with the national team and my teammates,” says Alejandro.
Gállego arrives after a magnificent Spanish U-19 Championship, where he won an individual bronze medal and runner-up in doubles twice with his partner Gonzalo Isábal and with Daniela Corchón from Soriano in mixed doubles after playing a dozen matches in three days. “What we achieved was a great result, personally It has helped me raise my self-esteem and given me more confidence. We have worked very well and that is the key to success.”
Since last February, with the incorporation of Cuban coach Roberto Mollinedo to the club, the club has taken a leap in quality. “The training hours have increased, in addition to track work, we add more physical preparation and gym. The workouts are very varied, specific and in blocks. Roberto is getting to know us well and there is also Javi (Coronas), my father and we must not forget Roberto (González) in the training stage,” he points out with gratitude and confidence, “I am super happy, I have improved a lot, the thing “It looks very good and this has just begun.”
Alejandro, exempt in the first round, will debut on Sunday against a Finnish player. “I saw him at the international tournament in Lithuania. It will be a great game. In the national team they analyze it and we see where we can attack it. It’s not going to be easy, it’s a tough opponent, because Finland is not just anything, but like everyone in a championship of this level, but I am sure that I will play a good game and that I will do great. We already know what these competitions are and we are aware that relaxation is not worth it and that from minute one we must be with maximum concentration.”
ROBERTO MOLLINEDO: “GOOD TIME TO EVALUATE”
Alejandro’s coach, Roberto Mollinedo, has complete confidence in which his pupil is going to be at a high level. “He is in good physical shape, it is about playing with the quality that characterizes him and trying to improve his performance,” he explains. “It is a very high level championship. A Finn awaits him in the first round and, if he wins, he will face the sixth seed. This category is the prelude to the senior team and the players are in their development phase. It is a good time to evaluate what we are doing and establish a comparison to see how we are evolving with respect to the international level.”
Destaca Mollinedo el growth who sees in Alejandro in all aspects, “tactical, physical and mental”, during the seven months that he takes charge of its preparation. “Sports preparation is a process with several aspects to work on,” observa.
For the coach, Alejandro Gállego has the following virtues: “a lot of explosiveness, because he is a very fast player and that in badminton is fundamental, and it has lots of attack power“In addition to being physically very good.” But it also points towards what can be improved: “we must continue working from a tactical and mental point of view, on the variability of blows and improve the rectified ground technique.”
Mollinedo goes beyond the result that the championship may bring for Alejandro. “The fundamental thing is that he has a good performance in sports performance. And in this the result is not always indicative. It can have a very good performance even if it is not reflected in the result. The important thing is that it continues to show progress,” concludes.
