MADRID, 15 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish international Maica García assures that the Water Polo World Cup, which is held in the Japanese city of Fukuoka (Japan) from July 17 to 29, is the “most difficult event to win” because the best teams are there, and she believes that the team can “aim for a medal”.
“The best countries are there and the most difficult trophy to win is a World Cup. In addition, being at risk to get a place in Paris is always that impulse to say ‘I have to reach the final and we’re going to go for it'”, defended the buoy in an interview with Europa Press.
The first weeks of preparation were “totally physical” to later focus on the technical part and reinforce a system in which the team “believes one hundred percent” after the 13 years that Miki Oca has been coaching the national team. “You have to try everything, but seeing the level that the team has, I think we’re aiming for a medal, obviously. If everything goes well, and I’m confident of it, and with the ambition that the team has, we want to aspire to a medal, without a doubt” , he remarked.
The 32-year-old buoy is one of the oldest in the team, but he believes that it has “evolved” and has “adapted” well to continue being important in and out of the water. “I bring experience, being there to also support the players and give them that peace of mind. They know they can trust me, that any player on this team can trust me, for anything,” she stressed.
“It is a very important plus that there is so much trust, that the matches end and that we arrive at the hotel and you can interact with anyone, be in anyone’s rooms, spend time together, that you want to be with these people is very important,” he said. García about the great strength of a block that is practically “a family”, both in and out of the water.
Inside the water they play like a block, since they know exactly what the other is going to do “with a look”, which makes them play almost “by heart”. “I already have the connection with the vast majority, since many of them have played with me at the club or have been playing for the national team for many years, we already know each other,” he said.
Maica García forms one of the best water polo buoy duos with Paula Leiton, the “strongest” player she has ever seen, and since she is somewhat better “technically”, they complement each other perfectly. “We think that I help you, you help me and we are going to move this forward and we are going for the game yes or yes, but we cannot see if we are better, we simply try to have fun and enjoy and help each other,” she explained. .
The current water polo calendar considers it “crazy”, but believes that “it is good” for young players to enter “faster” into dynamics and gain “more experience”. “We played everything and there are many games, a lot of load and at a very high level, because you are playing all the titles and it is very demanding, but for young people it is an experience that they pick up very quickly,” he said.
Although there are more and more important competitions in less time, she “wants to play it all” because it means “fighting for titles”. “I’m enjoying each competition, now that I have the World Cup, well, I’m going for the World Cup. What’s next for the European? Well, let’s go for the European. I don’t look further, that is, first of all I look at all the competitions and I say , ‘I’m not going to stop’. But I try not to think too much,” he said.
Despite the fact that in 2017 he had to stop for a while, now he has the strength to continue and wants to “continue enjoying” and he is not considering the end of his career for the moment. “They ask me about the withdrawal and I think that the time will come, I do not set a date either, I am going to enjoy the path I have made and what I have left until the time comes,” she confessed.
Regarding the new generation, there are many young women and they all have “great potential”, and if I had to highlight one, Elena Ruiz is clear about it. “Elena already gave the surprise last year and I think she will do it again for sure, even if they already have it under control,” she concluded.