Gómez Noya follows a new diet plan to avoid flatulence

One thing, an intestinal problem can ruin years of work in a triathlon, just like in other sports. He knows it. Javier Gómez NoyaHe has suffered from side stitches at key moments in his career, particularly on days of extreme heat. These days, he's battling it like it's his worst rival, with a stricter diet than ever before. Having just arrived in London to compete on Sunday in the penultimate round of the World Championships, he's fine-tuning every detail, further refining habits he already monitors rigorously. The problem he experienced in Pontevedra hampered him again in Hamburg a few weeks ago. "I felt those kinds of discomforts again there. I want to compete again without problems, and win or congratulate whoever beats me after giving it my all," explains the Ferrol native, the world number one, whose current form bodes well for the upcoming races.

After various consultations, Gómez Noya has been adopting new habits for a few weeks, consisting mainly of taking extreme precautions that he already took before. For example, avoid orange juice in the morning, eat four hours before the start of a competition - instead of three -, and avoid flatulent vegetables, sauces, heavy foods and dairy products, as the triathlete explains. and his work team. He also places even more emphasis on aspects such as hydration. He cannot drink during meals, but can drink before and after in many short meals.

Possible intolerance

«Flatus happens to me sometimes and no one really knows why. It happens to me in the heat, that's true, but not every time I compete in those conditions. I have always taken great care of my diet. Maybe I should undergo studies to check if I now suffer from an intolerance to some food, which perhaps I didn't have before or it wasn't detected," explains the double world champion, who suffered flatus at the Beijing Olympic Games and finished fourth.

«It is difficult to know how the body reacts. This is not a disease either,” adds the Ferrolano, who does not take medications to combat gases. «In competition you push your body to the maximum, and other people react by vomiting or with other disorders. Maybe the position on the bike encourages them to park it and start running the final ten thousand on foot," adds Gómez Noya.

Better without extreme heat

At the European Championships in Pontevedra and at the World Championships in Hamburg, he was hampered by flatulence. That is why he is looking for a remedy. Last Sunday, at an international event in Banyoles, he won without gastric discomfort. A good sign. The weather forecast for Sunday in London gives him hope. "Highs of 18 or 19 degrees are forecast, with a 30% chance of rain. It will be better this way, although the water will make the section more slippery." bike", adds the man from Ferrol, who already suffered a fall in Sydney this year before making a spectacular comeback and winning the race.

His circle also points to a diarrheal episode suffered in May as a possible trigger for the discomfort of recent months, in which he felt more bloated than usual during training sessions and after meals.

Source: lavozdegalicia.es