Marta Arce achieved her fourth medal in the Paralympic Games a little over a month ago. Despite being 47 years old, he assures that judo continues to make him happy and he wants to reach his sixth Paralympic event in 2028.
What memories does September 6, 2024 bring back to you?
I get goosebumps. It was the perfect day, from first thing in the morning.
He said that he felt better than in the last competitions, with flow.
That is. I was feeling super good. I was able to do a good workout and notice the feeling of having strength from the morning. Other times, you start to warm up and notice tiredness or lack of strength. That day I felt super strong, plugged in…
And the competition ended with the bronze. He just couldn’t handle the Uzbek…
I would even say that the fight with the Uzbek wasn’t bad. She was the first in the world ranking, I had not faced her once and I think it was very difficult for her to beat me. The Wazari that was given to him and then taken away was from my action and the first one is very debatable. We could have perfectly reached the golden technique in a draw. It could have been lost anyway, huh. As my coaches say, chickens in and chickens out when it comes to refereeing. But I didn’t see it as impossible or difficult. I thought, another day I can win it.
And the bronze, seen and unseen, in 5 seconds.
It was a super moment. Although it caused me a little confusion because of that point in the fight against the Uzbek. And since the referee started arguing about the earpiece, I started to worry…
She is seen asking what had happened.
Yes. I ask him who won. I tell him, ‘It’s mine, right?’
Tears came to his eyes.
I spent the entire competition crying.
Who did he remember?
Of everything and everyone. From all the work, from everything we have trained… Darío, Sonia, Marta… my family and my children, after the first fight I was able to hug the two little ones. It was amazing because I had never experienced it that way: focused, feeling well and with so many people around to share it.
Fourth medal in his record… 12 years later.
It has been 12 years because of the break I took and because Tokyo became quite complicated. Between the pandemic, I broke my arm in the cycle and when doing the first competition, they broke my cruciate. I don’t count those Games because the first competition I did after having knee surgery, six months later, I was very afraid. Then I started to come back, regaining confidence, because I had two injuries in two competitions. It was hard for me to have that one again. flow and go without fear. It has meant a lot of therapy for me.
What does 2028 sound like to you?
Well, I see it as feasible.
Doesn’t that withdrawal just convince you?
As soon as I say the word withdrawal, the seven evils begin to enter me. Because if I retire… the day I stop, at the age I am, it’s over.
So are you going to try to be in Los Angeles?
I’m going to try it, yes. I have really enjoyed this cycle, I want to continue accompanying María Manzanero. I think as long as it’s still fun and everything doesn’t hurt, and he’s having a good time, why not. Before I thought I had to leave it to do something else, like change my professional life. But I am from another era, from when there weren’t the scholarships we have now or they didn’t give them to me. I have been conciliating all my life. And I can’t withdraw from what amuses me when I leave work, I don’t feel like it and I’m happy on the tatami.
Where do you get the strength to continue competing? Of that happiness of sports?
It’s very fun. The fact of not having played sports during the first 20 years of my life also plays a role. I started doing something when I was 16, but very little. I don’t have the wear and tear of other athletes who started when they were young. And then I have always been very cautious.
And with three children. What do they tell you?
They have it normalized. It’s what mom does, just like that.
You were the flag bearer of the Games in Paris, how do you experience that moment of going out in front of all the athletes?
It was super fun and I really enjoyed it with Álvaro Varela. We organized to carry the flag. It’s like winning a medal but without having to ‘give’ or ‘receive’ a beating (laughs). Because here I have experienced everything, from winning to losing in just a few seconds. I like to emphasize that Lucía (the Brazilian against whom she won bronze in Paris) is a super judoka and competitor, and what has happened to her can happen to anyone.
What is left for you to do in judo?
I want to get the sixth DAN and I want to go to a Spanish kata Championship and improve the position of the last few years, penultimate. I go with a partner Javier Oñate, whom I drag to competitions.
By the way, and jump into a football stadium to have her city honor her.
The recognitions are very cool. I was very excited (and with my name in Braille). Because although I live in Madrid, I am from Valladolid and I have internalized it. And then I married a pucelano. And my team is Real Valladolid.
