Weightlifting is one of those sports that gains prominence every four years with the Olympic Games. Herón Rodríguez from Conejero fights day by day to achieve his dream of representing his country at the Olympic event.
Herón used to play indoor soccer, specifically in the youth system of CD Tinache. Being of weak build, he decided to sign up for CrossFit to "gain muscle mass", as he was having the opportunity to train with La Tiñosa FS, a team that plays in the 2nd Division B of indoor soccer.
"My uncles were in CrossFit and told me it was fun. I went and that's where I started with the Olympic weightlifting movements, and the truth is that I liked them," says the young Conejero native. However, life offered him the opportunity to enter a world that was previously unknown to him: weightlifting.
"The ETH Tenerife team came to IES Blas Cabrera to do some recruitment days. They told me that I had qualities for the sport and I said: let's do weightlifting, we'll see what can happen," says Herón Rodríguez. From then on, his life changed.
He received a scholarship to move to Tenerife in September 2019, when he was starting his high school studies, to train at the weightlifting club while combining it with his studies, "the good thing is that here they force us to study, both in the residence and in the gym, to be able to continue on the Island."
From indoor soccer to Junior Champion of Spain
What started as an opportunity gradually became a way of life. "I study the subjects I have while I train. I usually get up early and train twice a day, like that every day," he explains.
Last year he was proclaimed champion of the U18 Federation Cup by teams, and his next big goal came last Saturday, April 23, when he was proclaimed Junior Champion of Spain in the - 61 kg category.
"The idea of winning was there, because before competing some lists come out and you have to put a total Olympic similar to the one you are going to do, and my rival had fewer kilos than me. Even so, it had to be done well anyway, you don't know what can happen until you compete," explains Herón.
However, that victory does not give him a direct place in the Junior European Championship, since it is governed by minimums that he has not yet reached, although he recognizes that "hope is the last thing to be lost". In addition, next month he has another important event to continue adding experiences: the Spanish Absolute Championship.
On the other hand, Herón Rodríguez explains that the dream of any weightlifting athlete is "to participate in the Olympic Games". However, he recognizes that it is "very difficult", not only because of the scoring system to obtain the place, but also because of the restrictions imposed in recent years.
"As those 'cheating' countries that dope and years later have their medals withdrawn have come out, the organization has been restricting the number of places more and more. But the dream is there, and we will fight to achieve it," says Herón Rodríguez.
The absence of facilities in Lanzarote, a handicap for the sport
A big problem that the Conejero athlete faces is when the course ends and the holidays arrive, a time when most students return home to rest. However, in his case it is not as nice as for the rest, because for him it means stopping training at the level he does in Tenerife.
Lanzarote does not have facilities for the practice of weightlifting, and much less a club that promotes it. "When I go home I go to CrossFit to do the Olympic movements," says Herón, although he recognizes that he only returns to Lanzarote "two or three weeks", which he takes to rest, and then returns to Tenerife.
"Many sports do the exercises that we do to gain explosiveness and strength, so a club in Lanzarote or a facility to perform weightlifting would be necessary," claims the young athlete.
However, even with all the difficulties, Herón Rodríguez leaves a clear and motivating message for those young people who, as he did, may be interested in weightlifting: "I would tell them not to be afraid, to be interested and to fight for what they like. You have to fight for what you want even if there are no facilities or training places. If you fight, you always find it", says Herón Rodríguez.
