MADRID, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Spanish triple-jump star Ana Peleteiro says that the "sky's the limit" for her in sporting terms, but insists that she is more concerned about her legacy than in setting new records.
The 28-year-old, who won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, warmed up for Paris 2024 with gold in the European Championships in Rome on June 9, with a jump of 14.85 meters.
That performance ended any lingering doubts about her form after becoming a mother in December 2022. In a press conference ahead of a meeting she will compete in Madrid on Friday, Peleteiro spoke of her sporting ambitions.
"It's great to break records, but people remember your legacy, what sort of a person you were on and off the track," said the athlete, who has a big following on social media and has also made frequent TV appearances, as well as speaking out about racism.
"I am nowhere close to being the best Spanish sports person ever, but I'm certain people will remember Ana Peleteiro for a long time," she said.
She admitted the way she acts when preparing for jumps also make her stand out, as she visibly, and sometimes vocally, tries to motivate herself to a big jump.
"I forget that I'm on camera and hope I don't say many swear words, especially as I'm a mother myself now," she admitted, before explaining that she is "very emotional and dramatic."
"It takes me longer to recover on an emotional than a physical level. I give everything on the track, but I'm used to doing my six jumps, what is tiring is the emotional level," added Peleteiro.
Looking ahead to Paris, she said she was confident she could beat her gold medal jump from Rome, which had allowed her to "see the condition I'm currently in."
"At the moment there are no bad vibrations in my life," she advised, which is bad news for her rivals in Paris. ■
