Trittel and Botín: “If we do another Olympic campaign, it would be together to go for another medal in 49er”
FLorian Trittel and Diego Botín They show a complicity typical of those who spend more than 300 days a year together. “We are a civil marriage with no more rights,” they say with a laugh. In three weeks they reached the highest points: victory with the Spanish team in SailGP and Olympic gold at the Paris Games. After finishing the “best summer” of their lives, it’s time to think about the future. They have not decided, yet, if they will go in search of another Olympic cycle.
- If those medals could talk and I asked them where they had been for weeks, what would they say?
- FLORIAN TRITTEL. The first night, in my in-laws’ bed. Come on, I woke up the next day and thought I had lost her. And then, well, above all, it has accompanied us in the moment of being able to share that deep gratitude that we feel to all the people who have dedicated energy to us throughout these three years, which in our case have been three of preparation and of trying to master the art of sailing the 49er better than our opposition.
- With the triumph in SailGP and then the Olympic gold, has it been the sporting summer of your lives?
- DIEGO BOTIN. Completely. We always visualize it. What would happen if we both won? A small part of us didn’t believe it was possible. Still, we have gone all out. We have achieved it. And without a doubt for me 20 24 has been the summer of our dreams.
- What were your summers like as children? Always near water?
- F. TRITTEL. We both started sailing when we were five or six years old. At first I was afraid of the sea, the strong wind, but little by little, we got used to using the elements to our advantage, to always enjoy them with respect. I can’t imagine a life outside the sea right now.
The most complex thing to achieve gold was establishing the plan for the six months prior to the Games
Florian Trittel and Diego Botín, during the interview
We are a civil marriage with no further rights; I have spent more time with Diego than with my partner
Florian Trittel and Diego Botín, during the interview at MARCA.
Los Angeles? We will decide later; we want to see what more options we have in the future
- Q. Are you looking forward to continuing towards Los Angeles?
- F. TRITTEL. It is one of the two options. We can go and we can not go. We will decide later, because now we want to soak up this moment, enjoy it and, once we have distanced ourselves more from the emotions of the moment, make that decision wisely. In the end it is a decision that involves, because we know what it entails. In this case it would be four years, not three. We already come with certain baggage and we also want to see what more options we have in the future
- And could it be that one was there and the other was not at the 2028 Games?
- D. LOOT We already have a lot of work done and I personally don’t see starting again with another person and having to go through the whole journey that we have done ourselves, but never say never, you never know. But, today, if we do another campaign it would be together and to go for another medal in 49er.
- Their coach promised to shave his head if they won SailGP and Olympic gold. Have you complied?
- F. TRITTEL. He hasn’t, so Alvarito, we’re waiting. We know you’re afraid that if you scratch it it won’t grow back, but you posted it in a YouTube chat. We have proof, empirical evidence.
Florian Trittel and Diego Botín, with the cover of MARCA after their Olympic gold.
