[Archive 2013-01-19] Wikinews interviews Spain's most decorated Paralympian, Teresa Perales

Historical archive — originally published 2013-01-19. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

Zaragoza, Spain — On Thursday, Wikinews traveled to Zaragoza, Spain to interview the nation's most decorated Paralympian and IPC Athlete Council representative Teresa Perales. A wide range of topics about the Paralympics and sport in Spain were discussed including the evolution of Paralympic sport, disability sport classification, funding support across all levels of elite sport including the Paralympics and Olympics, the role of sportspeople in politics, sponsorship issues, and issues of gender in Spanish sport.

((Wikinews)) Hi this is Laura Hale and I'm interviewing Teresa Perales (Raystorm translating), the most decorated Spanish paralympian of all time, and we're in Zaragoza. And you're from Zaragoza, right?

((WN)) So, are you confident that Madrid is going to get the 2020, and are you going to stay around?

Teresa Perales : (laughs) I'd love to. I participated in the bid for Madrid 2016. It was a pity we didn't get them, and I hope now it is our chance. But I don't think I will be competing in them. ((es))Spanish language: ‍ (risas) Me encantaría. Estuve participando en la candidatura de Madrid de 2016. Fue una pena que no lo consiguieramos, y espero que ahora sea la ocasión. Pero no creo que llegue a estar compitiendo.

((WN)) You first competed in 2000. Has there been a big change from 2000 to London that you've noticed like in terms of the atmosphere, or even the level of sport and issues of classification?

Teresa Perales : Yes, especially in the level of sport. Our sport is more professional, there are more countries that dedicate more resources, and it is much more professional than in 2000. I've seen an evolution, in Sydney times that were gold medal now didn't make it to the finals. Another very important change has been the media coverage, at an international level and specially in Spain. Here in Spain for the first time we've had more than 14 hours of daily coverage of the Games. We've had specific programmes and general coverage, and that has been completely different than in Beijing, Athens, Sydney and previous others. It's been the first time that we've been featured in the main pages of newspapers and opened the first minutes of the tv news. Regarding organization, I don't think there's been much change. I think Sydney organised the Games wonderfully well. Athens wasn't very good, at all. Beijing was amazing: the organization was A plus, volunteers were A plus, everyone was A plus. It was fantastic. And London was like... I'm now using a new term, which it no longer is integration or normalization, it is naturally. As in, now everyone does see us the same, just exactly like the Olympians. Not for our disabilities. The biggest change I've seen is how people look at me, for example, it now is: I've won 22 medals. I am the sportsperson with more medals in Spanish History. And this has been recognised at an institutional and social level. This year I will receive the Gran Cruz al Mérito Deportivo, the highest honor that a sportsperson can achieve in Spain. It never before had been conceded to a paralympic sportsperson, ever. Many national awards, which weren't possible for sportspeople with disabilities, national awards from newspapers, associations, clubs or town halls. It's a radical change. ((es))Spanish language: ‍ Sí, sobre todo en el nivel de deporte, nuestro deporte es cada vez más profesional, hay más países que dedican más fondos, y es muchísimo más profesional que en el año 2000. He visto una evolución, en Sidney marcas que eran oro ahora no han entrado en final. Otro cambio muy importante ha sido a nivel mediático, de manera internacional y especialmente en España. Aquí en España es la primera vez que hemos tenido más de 14 horas de seguimiento diario de los Juegos. Hemos tenido programas específicos y seguimiento general, y eso ha sido algo completamente diferente de Pekín, de Atenas, de Sidney y de todos. Ha sido la primera vez que hemos abierto Portadas en periódicos y en los primeros minutos en Telediario. En cuanto a organización, creo que no ha habido demasiado cambio. Yo creo que Sidney organizó los Juegos maravillosamente bien. Atenas no fue muy bueno. Pekín fue tremendo: la organización de diez, los voluntarios de diez, todo el mundo de diez. Fue fantástico. y Londres ha sido como... Yo estoy utilizando ahora una palabra nueva, que ya no es integración ni normalización, que es naturalización. Es decir, ahora de verdad todo el mundo nos ve en la misma balanza, exactamente igual que los olímpicos. No por nuestra discapacidad. El mayor cambio que he visto es como la gente me mira a mi, por ejemplo, ahora es: he ganado 22 medallas. Soy la deportista española con más medallas de toda la Historia. Y así lo han considerado a nivel institucional y a nivel social. Este año me conceden la Gran Cruz al Mérito Deportivo, que es el premio más importante que se da en España a un deportista. Nunca antes lo había conseguido un deportista paralímpico, jamás. Muchos premios nacionales, que antes no eran posibles para deportistas con discapacidad, premios nacionales pues de medios de comunicación, premios nacionales de asociaciones, de clubes o de ayuntamientos. Es un cambio radical.

((WN)) I went to London, and the quality of sport — you didn't go there and say, that's a person in a wheelchair. You went, fall down guy in a wheelchair, because the sport was so great. There was no embarrassment like the Olympics where they let the people from Lesotho swim in the pool. [The level of sport] was very equitable [at the Paralympics]. In Australia, there was discussion amongst the Paralympians with the issue of sponsorship because sport is becoming so elite. Do you think Paralympians should be getting sponsorship and on the same level that their able-bodied counterparts are?

Teresa Perales : Of course. Yes, I hope, some day. Here in Spain... I don't know well other countries, how they work, I know the financial recognition they get after the Games, but I don't know the level of sponsorship the sportspeople have. ((es))Spanish language: ‍ Por supuesto. Espero que un día. Aquí en España... Yo no conozco muy bien otros países, cómo funcionan, conozco el reconocimiento económico que tienen a la vuelta de los Juegos, pero no conozco el nivel de patrocinio que tienen los deportistas.

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Text adapted from Wikinews interviews Spain's most decorated Paralympian, Teresa Perales by Wikinews contributors under CC BY 2.5. Paragraphs have been selected and abridged, and formatting adjusted. Contributor history.