The call Generation Z, who already collects her own results, has grown familiar with the triumphs of the sport. Even their generational predecessors, the so-called Millennials, have seen Spain become world champion in soccer, basketball and handball; to Fernando Alonso Y Carlos Sainzshine in the Formula 1; a Reef Nadal, chain 20 titles of Grand Slam; a Marc Márquez Y Jorge Lorenzo, dominate in MotoGP; to the brothers Gasol, conquer rings of the NBA; to talents like Caroline Marin Y Javier Fernandez, succeed in disciplines as remote as badminton and figure skating… It’s not that bravado of “I’m Spanish, why do you want me to beat you”, because we win some things and not others, but sporting success is part of the normal.
It wasn’t always like this. There was a time when victories came with a dropper, through talents that often emerged spontaneously. There was a time of pioneers, of brave men who unsealed doors through which many others have later entered. Two of them have died in just over a month: Manolo Santana, the first Spanish champion of a Grand Slam and in Wimbledon, Y Paco Gento, still the only footballer with six European Cups. The twists of destiny have wanted that People He died the same day as another athlete with less name and less winners, but who also made the leap to legend, thanks to the fact that he executed a genius of his coach, who in his day forced to review the basketball regulations. Lorenzo Alocen was the material author of that autobasket ordered by the mythical Pedro Ferrandiz. This Tuesday marked the exact 60th anniversary of this transgressive action. Curious coincidence. The best tribute to a man who, without being People, ni Santana, also wrote the history of our sport, hand in hand with another genius.
