Nacho Baltasar: I’m Going to Fight to Come Back with a Medal Around My Neck

Less than a month remains until the Olympic flame shines at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, which is expected to take place on the Seine River, weather permitting.

The Olympics will begin on July 26, bringing together the elite of world sports across all disciplines, not just in the French capital but also in various cities across the country, hosting athletes from around the world who share a common dream: winning an Olympic medal.

Among these athletes is Nacho Baltasar, a sailor from Club Nàutic Sa Ràpita, who, at just 19 years old, will compete in his first Olympic Games representing Spain in the new Olympic discipline of IQFoil. Nacho, a regular guest on Pasión por el Mar, visited our studios to tell us how he’s preparing for what is possibly the most important event of his sporting career.

“I’m quite prepared, very excited, and full of adrenaline,” says the young sailor, who adds, “I’m not very nervous, probably because I still can’t believe it.” This adrenaline will be on display on July 28, the first day of competition for the IQFoil class, in the Marseille racing area where all nautical disciplines are contested.

To be at his best on that day and fight for a medal, Nacho has been preparing physically and psychologically for nearly two years. “It’s been a very exciting season. We have a fantastic team, not just the sailing team but also the technical team, which is amazing,” he explains. Additionally, he has been studying his competitors for a long time, having faced them in various competitions over the years. “We all know each other very well, so I’ve studied them quite a bit,” he admits, though he acknowledges it’s more challenging for his opponents to study him. “I think I’m hard to study because I’m quite unpredictable, very aggressive, which makes me difficult to handle.”

It could be said that Nacho is experiencing his best sporting moment. “I’m enjoying this season and I know the next one won’t be the same because we’ll have to start over. So, I’m trying to make the most of it,” says Nacho, who insists his main goal is to enjoy this experience. “Few people get to experience the Olympics, especially at 19, and I think I need to enjoy it to the fullest. Plus, the more I enjoy it, the better I sail and the better everything goes,” he confesses.

As for Spain’s medal predictions for these Games, Nacho hasn’t made his guesses yet but believes, “I think sailing is strong this year, and being close to home makes a big difference.” As for himself, he asserts, “I’m convinced these are the right Games, and I’m going to fight my hardest to come back with a medal around my neck.” He would love to come back with gold, but “I’m going to give everything for the gold medal, but I’ll be happy with whatever I get.”

Regardless of the outcome, Nacho will have the distinction of being the first sailor from Club Nàutic Sa Ràpita to participate in the Olympics and the first Spanish representative in the IQFoil discipline, which, like Nacho, is making its debut at the Paris Olympics. Nacho doesn’t rule out starting his campaign for Los Angeles 2028 after these Games. “If everything goes well and I keep pushing, I could go to another Olympics, which reassures me,” he acknowledges.