OutBraker Testimonials: Alex Sánchez Palomero

Alex Sánchez Palomero is a Spanish Paralympic athlete. After being a medalist in swimming in his first Games, a change in the rules forced him to abandon his sport. Far from giving up, he looked for a new motivation and found it in triathlon, where he managed to win a new medal in a Paralympic Games. Now his goal is to participate in Paris 2024, and with the help of OutBraker he is going to try it until the end. Because this time giving up is not an option either. 

From swimming to triathlon

Alejandro S. Palomero is a member of the Spanish Triathlon Team, although he started his career as a paralympic swimmer. After participating in Beijing 2008 and winning a medal, he was forced to stop practicing the sport in which he had achieved success. At the time, Alex even thought he was going to quit the sport. But someone like him can’t live without sport, so he looked for a new way to get his performance in other Games.

“I decided to quit, to leave the sport. Or so I thought. But that feeling that I had something to give still remained inside… And I looked for another sport. “

In search of a new motivation and a new sport in which to excel, he saw triathlon as a perfect opportunity: a new sport in which he already had a part earned thanks to his swimming experience. So he trained to run, got on the bike and started training. 

Although the first steps were very complicated, he was clear about the key to success: “Work, work, and work. A lot of work. And a lot of illuson, above all”.

Alex S. Palomero & OutBraker Brake Splitter

He gradually improved with the bike, but it was thanks to the OutBraker Brake Splitter that he also mastered braking, and was able to reach his maximum level thanks to the 1 lever 2 brakes.

“With the OutBraker Splitter that control finally arrived. The feeling of safety and of controlling the braking yourself in every corner, whether it’s sudden braking or much more progressive braking. The change was radical. And the performance came once I started using the OutBraker Splitter. ” 

Next goal: Paris 2024 with the OutBraker

Now Alex S. Palomero is looking for his 4th participation in a Paralympic Games as an OutBraker rider. Although the qualification for Paris 2024 is a bit complicated, the numbers still give him a chance to qualify. He had to stop all 2022 after breaking his Achilles, but we already know that giving up and not trying it is not in his plans:

“As long as there are mathematical possibilities and an opportunity, I’ll be there giving my best. I hope I can be in Paris, in my fourth Games, and face the end of my career in a beautiful and special way”. 

The world of championships in high-level sport is really demanding: World Championships, Olympic Games, European Championships… it forces athletes to have a very high pace in which they cannot stop. That’s why he has a piece of advice for the younger athletes who are starting out in the world of triathlon: 

“That they enjoy whatever they achieve, however small it may be. My advice would be to enjoy it, stop for a second and savor it (…) Because the pace forces you to be always focused and sometimes you forget to enjoy whatever you have achieved. I recommend that you value everything, enjoy it and stop for a moment and live in the present”.

The story of Alex S. Palomero is a demonstration of how to always look for solutions and not stay in the problems – finding a way to move forward. And the fact is that obstacles are just obstacles in your path, and they do not have to be reasons to abandon that path. And thanks to OutBraker, he was able to overcome some of the problems he was facing on his bike, and win a paralympic medal.

If you want to read other stories of perseverance and overcoming like Alex’s, you can check the story of Andrea Miguélez, Jairo Ruiz or Kini Carrasco.