The Luis de Carlos Forum discusses resilience in sport
Hosted by the Real Madrid Foundation, the event brought together Teresa Perales, Iker Casillas, Emmanuel Reyes Pla and Carlos Soler, who talked about people's ability to cope.
The Real Madrid Foundation has hosted the latest edition of its Luis de Carlos Forum at Madrid's Real Casino, focused on resilience in sport. Headed by Enrique Sánchez, the Real Madrid Foundation's executive vice-president; Julio González Ronco, the Foundation's managing director; and Fernando Eguidazu, president of the Real Casino de Madrid, the forum was moderated by Realmadrid TV journalist Álvaro de la Lama. It brought together top athletes from a range of disciplines to discuss people's ability to overcome adversity, as well as reflect on their experiences in regard to resilience.
Teresa Perales, swimmer, a paralympic gold medalist and winner of the Princesa de Asturias award, commented: “As a madridista it's an honour to be at a meeting like this, talking about something I love. It's fair to say resilience represents me in particular - not conforming to the norm, being ambitious, that's how you build on a humble base. From that point on, you just have to throw yourself into it."
Iker Casillas, assistant managing director of the Real Madrid Foundation, explained: “You shouldn't be thinking about what's going to happen next week, focus on today, and what might happen tomorrow. You never know when your life may change. I was fortunate to have something that told me to keep going, and ever since that day I view life as something wonderful. You have to live life to the fullest and enjoy every day."
Emmanuel Reyes Pla, boxer and bronze medallist at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, reflected: “I'm just like Real Madrid because Real Madrid stand up to be counted in the Champions League, and I'm the same in the Olympic Games. I've always been on the opinion that the medal isn't as important as the story. All the work I put in to get to the Olympics in Paris is what kept me going at the tough moments. That effort towards achieving your goals it what fulfills us."
Carlos Soler, paralympic fencer, underlined: "Having the support of your family and the ability to laugh at yourself is vital. I've been resilient without knowing it my whole life, the most important thing is laughter and a will to get better every single day. We have lots of medals, but it's not about being someone important, it's about improving for ourselves. We're here because of a desire to improve and that's why we're resilient."