Looking for a star: Andrés Cendan Llorens

This week Felipe Gutiérrez interviews a new promise of triathlon, Andrés Cendan Llorens.

 

 

I met Andres and a couple of years ago in Alfaz del Pi when he was proclaimed champion of school Spain. Just arrived at the finish line I had a conversation with Andres for Finisher magazine and soon I realized that I was a triathlete with quality not only sports but also human.

A few years later I am again in front of him and I can see that both the sports and human classes have grown and not only I say it but also the technicians who work with him and his own teammates.

We are regulars of the facebook and 441 "friends" that you have, we share 113, more or less within the average of these young triathletes.

He has completed 18 years in January and as he says "I am one of the oldest of my year", although he is a junior, so he has three years left in this category where he will undoubtedly "have to talk".

He is from Santiago de Compostela and he is proud to be Galician, as are two of his admired triathletes, Iván Raña and Javier Gomez Noya.

TN- Andrés, what memories do you have of your beginnings in the world of sports, before starting with triathlon?

AC- I remember that with 12 years I signed up for soccer and since my brother practiced triathlon he soon told me that because I did not do it too and that he tried to swim. I started to like it soon and when I had my first competition and was second it gave me a rush that soon I left everything and started with the triathlon ... and until now that I am here.

TN- Before that, did you usually swim?

AC- No, I had swum as a child in the typical courses, but nothing more.

TN- So really your first sport "seriously" was triathlon?

AC- Yes because I really learned to swim well with my triathlon coach.

TN- You started the triathlon then why did your brother go triathlon?

AC- If my brother Francisco Cendan, whom we call Poquillo, practiced triathlon, and that's how I started. My first steps were in the Arcade Inforhouse and then there was a series of problems with the technicians of the club and we went and founded another club the Dexter Triathlon Compostela that is currently David Triathlon Compostela Workshops.

 

 

TN- Who was your first triathlon coach?

AC- It was Manuel Carrajo Neira and we also worked with Antonio Vázquez another of the coaches. There I trained one session a day, always in the afternoon and the bike we played Saturday and Sunday alone, we were all quarry and school.

TN- And one day you get the chance to come to CAR de Madrid?

AC- Send the scholarship papers and that year I was just runner-up of Spain in the 2012, which was also the year that the scholar wins and I've been here in Madrid for two years now.

TN- And in your house they say?

AC- At home they support me a lot and the initiative to send the papers to apply for the scholarship came from my father.

TN- And you are happy here? Do you think that you have improved a lot here?

AC- If I am very well and happy and clear that I have improved, only with the form of training is enough. Here is to study and train.

TN- What is your day like here in the CAR?

AC- I get up at the 7,30 to go to breakfast and from the 8 on the dot you enter class where we have three hours in a row. Depending on the day we go by bike or make a career or a transition. After arriving fast shower and enter the classroom at the 3 in the afternoon for three other classes. At six or six and a half we have preventive gymnastics and swimming.

TN- Radical change could we say?

AC- Yes, that's it.

TN- And for a Galician who usually has "morriña", do not you remember your land?

AC- At first I did have better to adapt, when I left home with 16 years, the first days if I remembered my house, my family, of ..., now after two years not so much, although there is always a point of if you feel like it Now I have not been home for three months and I'm "leaving" tomorrow and I'm looking forward to it. Here time passes very fast.

TN- And do not you remember the food, the famous and well-known Galician soup?

AC- Yes, especially the broth of my grandmother. Yes, I remember the Galician soup, the octopus and those things.

TN- Now you have 100% dedication to triathlon, so I guess you will have very clear objectives for the 2015, what are they?

AC- I want to be champion of Spain and at the junior level it is a very important point, then also qualify for the European and the World Cup, although it will be difficult since there are very difficult triathletes to win, but we will have to fight for everything and try to maximum.

TN- Do you want to be the 1 number all the time ?, but there is a lot of competition

AC- Here in junior category there are tough people and if you ask me to highlight someone Carlos Galisteo that since he came here has had a remarkable improvement and is a tough opponent.

TN- The Galician triathlon is always up, what is the secret ?, I do not know if it is that Galician soup, the weather or that you are better without more

AC- I've never thought about it, but if I know Galicians always stand out, it's like Jamaicans in athletics.

TN- And they call you here “el Rañita”. What is the reason?

AC- One day, Benito, when we were stretching after training, I used to wear long hair and he told me that it looked like a picture I had of Ivan Raña when I was here in Blume, that and being a Galician because you know how Benito is, He put me "Rañita" and I already had that name.

 

 

TN- Ivan Raña knows that they call you that?

AC- Yes, if he knows and laughs.

TN- And what do you think of Raña and Gomez Noya?

AC- Iván I could not keep it that much because when I become world champion in the 2002 I had 5 or 6 years, instead with Javi I hooked more, because the 2004 JJOO and I could see when 4 was left and for me It is a pride that they are from my land and I am very excited to see them.

TN- What do you study now and what do you want to do in the future?

AC- 1º Study of Baccalaureate, although I do not know what career I want to do, maybe I will do Business Administration and Management or maybe INEF, but I do not know yet.

TN- Do you think about the Olympic Games?

AC- Yes of course, I have them in mind and I will try to go to the games. I would like to be in the 2020 with 23 years and if not in the 2024. If I want to be.

TN- Do you have help in this triathlon?

AC- The club does help me with the trips to Championships and material I have help from Spiuk that gives me material for training.

TN- The investment made by the CSD and the Fetri, do you think it is profitable, do you think that effort is good?

AC- I think it's very good and that giving scholarships to come to Madrid to train and encourage sports and help people who have a chance to be something in the future helps motivate more and that's an extra help.

TN- Do you spend many hours here, there is a relationship with other athletes of other modalities?

AC- Yes, we interact with other athletes, perhaps with those who are more with swimmers and athletics.

TN- And with the boxing girls?

AC- No, we do not have much relation with them, hahaha

TN- And in addition to the typical Thursday outing when you do not train, what things do you like doing outside triathlon?

AC- When I do not have exams, I lie in bed all day resting.

TN- A few days ago you competed in Quarteira, the first international competition of the year. How was it?

AC- If I was in the European Cup of Quarteira and the result was very happy because I was 10º, it was a faster test than last year, although that day I was 8º, but I think it was a good result.

TN- What do you think of the technical team in the CAR?

AC- Since I joined, I was a bit afraid of knowing what it would be like to come to Madrid, the technical team, the teammates ... and the work we have done with Sergio, Adrian and Benito, I am more than happy with them. We laugh a lot and train very well and in the end it is what counts.

To finish Andrés and before getting on the bike because he plays a few kilometers, he says: "I would like to thank all the support for my family, my parents, my brother, my uncles. Also to my first coach, Manuel Carrajo, who was with whom I started to get some base and of course to the coaches of CAR, Sergio, Adrian and Benito and the teammates that I had a great time with them and of course thank collaboration with Spiuk. "

 

Well, it's time to say goodbye to Andrés, he has to go to the bike already and a little nervous because tomorrow he says "I'm going home", I'm sure the Galician soup will give him strength to come back to face a tough season We want to be the one to climb to number one all year. Good luck "Rañita"

 

Felipe Gutiérrez