Translated by GymNerdGoBlue1
Rayderley Zapata talked to Practicodeporte.com about coming back from his injury and competing at the World Championships. In Doha, he hopes to make the floor final and to fight for a medal there.
Coach Fernando Siscar agrees it’s possible: “With a difficulty of 6.4, he is probably third best in the world. He has a truly competitive routine.”
Zapata, who has the honor of seeing an element that bears his name in the code of points – double front with one and a half twists, revealed that he is preparing three new elements that no one has performed before.
A: They say to me that I am crazy, but you have to be crazy to do gymnastics.
Q: You came back to the World Championships after rupturing your Achilles. What will you do in Doha?
A: I will do three events: floor, vault, and rings. On vault, I will not do my maximum difficulty, because my tendon is not completely used to the impact. However, on vault itself, there is less impact. And on rings, I notice that they are quite strong, very good. On floor, like always, we intend to give everything and get back to where we were before.
Q: At what stage you recovery is now?
A: I’m doing quite well. My goal was to compete at this Worlds because last time I was injured. My Achilles feels very, very, very good, even stronger than before. I have many goals to come back to and to be where I was. At World Cups, I have already made finals and even won medals.
Q: Do you think you can be on the medal podium for floor at Worlds?
A: I am okay with simply being at Worlds. My primary objective is to leave Doha safe and sound. But a bigger objective is that I would love to make the final. The work is done. It’s possible, but there are many that are here and can do it. I intend to give my best and if everything goes right and I make it, how am I not going to fight for a medal?
Q: Have you changed your floor routine so the tendon doesn’t suffer as much?
A: We have adapted it with more front tumbling because back tumbling is more aggressive on the Achilles. But we have to maintain enough difficulty, we have worked a lot, also we will throw my element, the Zapata, out there. If I nail all of the tumbling, that’s the most important thing.
Q: You will compete against the double world champion Kenzo Shirai. Is the Japanese unbeatable on floor?
A: He’s a spectacular gymnast. He’s very good, very well-rounded, he does everything. He has a very low fall percentage. To beat him, you have to nail all the passes, have good execution in the air and expect him to take more steps than the others, to go off the floor or something else.
Q: Your name is in the code of points for doing a move that no one has ever done before. Do you feel important?
A: It’s my pride. Everyone says that I am crazy, but you have to be crazy to go gymnastics. Soon, I want to present other elements. I have three prepared, but especially one, also a front salto. I can’t tell you what it is, because other people would copy me. I’m not going to do it in Qatar. There, I will do a clean, pretty and healthy exercise for me.
Q: In the Rio Olympics, you wanted to get a medal but did not make the final. What do you see when you go over that floor exercise?
A: It wasn’t bad at all, but I didn’t make the final. being new to it affected me a bit. Well, a lot. I simply had been competing for three years at a high level, which is a short time. Now I am a more experienced gymnast and I know how to channel my nerves in a good way.
Photo: Polideportivo
