The winner of the 2018 Total Player Award Felipe Perrone seized an opportunity to swim again, for the first time after almost two months.
Well, he didn’t swim in the pool, he didn’t play water polo. Actually, he didn’t swim the way he is used to training. But, he is back in the water, after a long break caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which paralyzed the world, especially Spain, one of the countries hit hardest by the COVID-19 outbreak.
On Saturday, Perrone went to the Mar Bella beach in Barcelona and asked police if he could swim in the sea. Police told him that only surfing was allowed. In the evening, he came with the surfing board and was able to touch the water after 52 days.
Today, he continued swimming training with the surfing board.
“I came to the beach carrying the board like a VIP ticket. The promenade was crowded. People were asking if they could go to the beach, but they couldn’t if they didn’t have a board “, Perrone, who was born in Rio de Janeiro, said in an interview with the Spanish daily As.
“I haven’t spent as much time without going to a swimming pool since I was six months old. At that age, mother took me to the Guanabara club in Rio de Janeiro, for the first time”.
VIDEO
Perrone nadando con su tabla, la entrada VIP al mar. https://t.co/Yn57U8ABAp
— Alberto Martínez (@super_martinez) May 3, 2020
Barceloneta’s and Spain’s superstar said about “training “at the Mar Bella beach:
“There were no waves. You cannot surf. I took the opportunity to get on the board and swim a little “.
Perrone already told Total Waterpolo two days ago, that he would return to training next week. But, only members of the national teams, athletes of the international category will be allowed to train for now. Individual trainings can start on May 4, while the group sessions will begin on May 11.
“If you are not an international, you will have a difficult time until June. Water polo is one of the safest sport, because the chlorine and chemistry in swimming pools kill many viruses, according to what they tell us.
The Spanish League is over, Barceloneta will be proclaimed as a champion if the Delegate Commission of the Spanish Federation accepts a proposal of the clubs and Federation.
Spain is the silver medalist at the last two European Championships (2018 and 2020) and the 2019 World Championships. The break caused by the pandemic will also affect the national team and its preparations for the Tokyo Games, postponed to next year and other competitions.
“This will affect everyone. We have a young team, although the key for everything will be in the mental outside. The return will be very hard. Two months without touching the water is not a joke. It will take a lot of effort and hard work.”-Perrone concluded in an interview.
