Alejandro Velázquez, an amateur swimmer, will participate in the Costa Norte “Lionel Morales” Crossing next Sunday, November 7, “with his feet tied”, to demand “more adapted competitions for athletes with disabilities.”
Velázquez will “tie his feet with a flange” to “make visible and claim the importance of adapted sports and the need for sports competitions to accommodate people with functional diversity.” His 10-year-old daughter normally trains in the Arrecife Nautical Club Triathlon team, but she cannot compete in the official competitions of the Canary Islands Triathlon Federation since “they are not adapted for athletes with disabilities.”
“My goal is none other than to draw attention to the fact that it is possible to participate in sports competitions as an athlete with a disability. I am not trying to have specific competitions within the official calendar for adapted athletes”, says the swimmer, who adds that he requests that “only measures be taken to allow athletes with functional diversity, as is the case of my daughter, to be able to start in these official competitions.”
Alejandro will cross the 5,500 meters that separate Jameos del Agua from La Garita Beach accompanied by Lionel Morales himself, the Lanzarote Paralympic triathlete who gives the competition its name and who has recently become the Spanish champion of 'Paratriathlon Sprint' in the PTS2 category.
Velázquez also wanted to publicly express his gratitude to Lionel Morales and the organization of the Costa Norte Crossing for “allowing him to participate and supporting him in this initiative.” He also wanted to thank the technical team of the Arrecife Nautical Club Triathlon, with José Israel Caraballo at the head, “for the support they have given to his daughter and the excellent reception she has had within the team.”
