While out cycling yesterday it popped into my head “whatever happened to Vanessa Fernandes”. Incredible triathlete in her hay day. Her Wikipedia page finishes with an interesting line, “After years without competing, Fernandes is training with the 2016 Summer Olympics in mind”. The source is a Portuguese website from late 2014. Wonder will it happen.
Doubtful. But I always wondered what really happened to her. She was utterly dominant. And then fell off the face of the earth pretty much overnight.
Here’s the interview from that statement.
Oct 29/2014
Vanessa Fernandes: “I want to go back to the Olympics”
The Athlete Sport Lisboa e Benfica want to go back to compete in the sport that crowned as one of the great references of the national and international Sport this millennium. This is one of the strong ideas of an interview with BTV.
Vanessa Fernandes has a list of impressive titles in Triathlon, which features the silver medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, the World championship in triathlon (2007 and 2008), the title of World Champion Duathlon (2008) the pentacampeonato of Europe (2004-2008) and the four titles of European Champion in U23.
At 29, he is returning to the sport that helped to grow in Portugal. A step that was well planned. "I’ve been to consolidate my life. I have been giving solid steps to find out what really want. Now my days have been spent to train. I took the training, "said Vanessa Fernandes to BTV.
The athlete has firmly down to earth and wants to live up to return to compete in the sport. "My goal is to return to try to make evidence Triathlon and then see what you can accomplish. I do not want to create illusions. I now make a serious and hard work. For two months I started doing the training of various aspects, for after so many years without competing able to prove Triathlon "he said.
The title of Olympic runner-up in Beijing in 2008 was the highlight of Vanessa’s career. Times have changed and much has changed in six years. "The difference is that this time I have nothing around, it’s me I’m building the path. I’m more mature, I take my journey and the daily work without having to guide me. I’ve been a long time without training, so this is a stage where they have to have a higher power in order to accomplish all objectives. Perhaps this is the most difficult stage in my career, "he said.
Bet Olympics
The Olympics are a future goal and are always in the athlete’s mind. "The high competition is an addiction for Olympic medalists athletes. It is our life. It’s very hard for us, I think is such evidence that we have overcome. And I see myself always. My goal is to be in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, and the goal is always to get the gold. I want to go back to some Olympic and if not in 2016, try in 2020. I bet for this. It’s my main goal "he said.
The trainings have taken place in different parts of the country, which is in accordance with the will of the athlete: "workouts have been more in Porto, in the Gaia area, sometimes in Povoa, and sometimes at Benfica and Jamor. I do not like to always be in the same place. "
Vanessa Fernandes is in the Glorious since late 2005 and last season bet in athletics. "I have a good connection with Benfica, last year gave to consolidate a bit more this connection with the Athletics Club. Being in the North is often difficult to create that connection. Benfica have really good condition, in the North if there was something going on there day and night. We have a women’s team ever stronger and that has been evolving, "he said.
The Olympic athlete continues to be a reference to the young, which is a pride: "Young people make me many questions. If I still run? To compete? I think the reason and being around them is a very proud. "
Finally, Vanessa Fernandes believes that this is a very important moment in your career and you have to face every day with work and dedication. "I think now I’m a player that if he can overcome all these harsh steps, could be stronger than ever. It’s a fight that I have with me every day. When we want this more honest, more serious and committed way, things turn out to be also stronger and stronger, "he said.
JPV
Photos: Gualter Slice / SL Benfica Facebook Twitter
You would think you would have seen her in some races since this statement to qualify for Rio. Also from her ITU hall of fame induction looks like she is a little top heavy now as well which would be some added weight to carry around.
i proposed to her once (secretly, in my head). if she had accepted, i could say her absence had something to do with our seven children. but alas…
seriously! I googled her, you can keep her