GARCIA Jesus Angel

General
POSTPONEMENT OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES
He believes the postponement by 12 months of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo due to the COVID-19 pandemic could be a positive for him after a long 2019 season. "The imposed break has not gone bad for me. 2019 ended in October, very late for what is usual, and in November we were in South Africa, training, preparing for the Olympic event. I had several aches and pains and my preparation was going very slowly. In the only race I had in 2020, I was very far away from the shape I expected. So, when the Games were definitively postponed, I could change my approach, I would be able to recover properly and be in 2021 in a better shape. I know I will be one year older, but there is no difference between being [age] 50 or 51 if you take good care of yourself." (cmdsport.com, 16 Dec 2020; elcorreo.com, 12 Apr 2020)

RETIREMENT PLANS
He plans to become a podiatrist and an athletics coach once his sporting career is over in 2021. "Tokyo will be my last event as an athlete. I had planned to do the coaching training after my retirement, but took the advantage of the postponement [of the Olympic Games due to the COVID-19 pandemic] to do it in 2020, so I have been planning ahead in that sense. I am already training teenagers and I feel very comfortable looking for talents for this sport that has given me so much. On the other hand, I will be able to resume my career as a podiatrist, as I have already had some offers." (cmdsport.com, 16 Dec 2020; rfea.es, 09 Sep 2020)

OLYMPIC EXPERIENCE
He is proud of taking part at the Olympic Games on seven previous occasions. "Anyone who has been to the Olympic Games will tell you that it is something unique. As an athlete, it is the maximum you can aspire to. The Olympic Games are a unique experience and of course everyone wants to live it. I have had the fortune to be able to go to many. I feel part of something that is historic." His only regret is not to have been able to win a medal. "When I was young, I was too impulsive and when I had experience I lacked youth. Eight Games are enough. I just want to enjoy once more the Olympic magic and then retire to a quieter, more relaxed life." (metropoliabierta.com, 15 Dec 2020; tokyo2020.org, 21 Apr 2020)

POLITICIAN
He has served as a councillor in San Adria de Besos, Spain, a municipality within the Barcelona metropolitan area. He was in office between 2011 and 2015. He had previously been a councillor in 2006 and 2007 in Lleida, Spain. (metropoliabierta.com, 15 Dec 2020; abc.es, 22 Nov 2015)

He equalled the record for most appearances by a track and field athlete at the Olympic Games when he made his seventh appearance at the 2016 edition in Rio de Janeiro. (worldathletics.org, 01 Aug 2016; SportsDeskOnline, 18 Jan 2021)

At age 49 he became the oldest athlete to compete at the world athletics championships when he competed at the 2019 edition in Doha, Qatar. He also competed at his 13th edition of the championships in Doha, the most appearances at the world championships by an athlete in the sport. (rfea.es, 28 Sep 2019; worldathletics.org, 22 Sep 2019; SportsDeskOnline, 18 Jan 2021)