Just before diving into elite competition at the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Ibiza, Spanish national team swimmers Angela Martinez and Paola Otero stepped away from their race preparation to invest in something just as meaningful: the next generation.
At a local swimming club on the island, the pair hosted a hands-on coaching clinic for young athletes, transforming an ordinary training session into an unforgettable experience rooted in connection and inspiration for up-and-coming racers and eager swimmers from Ibiza. The initiative highlighted a truth at the heart of sport — that its impact stretches far beyond podiums and finish lines.
The session began poolside with dryland activation, where Martinez and Otero guided swimmers through shoulder-strengthening exercises using therabands and bodyweight. Emphasising injury prevention and body awareness, the duo demonstrated how elite athletes prepare their bodies before ever entering the water. It’s a lesson often overlooked but essential for longevity in the sport.
From there, the focus shifted to freestyle technique. By paying attention to body position, stroke efficiency, and breathing patterns, the Olympians broke complex movements down into accessible, actionable tips.
The energy rose further as the swimmers moved into open-water-specific skills. A buoy-turn course featuring three markers challenged athletes to refine their navigation and agility — key components of racing in unpredictable environments. Laughter mixed with determination as participants repeated turns, learning how precision, timing and attention to the task at hand can make the difference in competition.
One of the most unique elements of the clinic was practising feeding while swimming, a critical but often undertrained aspect of open water racing. Martinez and Otero demonstrated how to maintain momentum while fueling, as they shared insights from their own international racing experiences – including reaching all steps of the World Cup podium for the 22-year-old Martinez and a silver at last year’s European Open Water Swimming Championships for Otero.
To close the session, the young swimmers took on the finish-line board simulation, practising the final lunge that can decide race outcomes by fractions of a second as their peers cheered them on. Cheers echoed across the pool deck, showcasing the sport's competitive spirit.
For Martinez, the session was her first time ever working with kids. But for those on the pool deck, you definitely couldn’t tell. With charisma and poise, she instantly had the kids’ attention and held it throughout the swim.
“It’s a pleasure to work with young kids and share my experience. I really enjoyed it,” Martinez said between signing autographs and posing for photos with the kids. “This was my first time coaching kids, so it’s a new experience for me, but I liked it a lot – and I have a bit of talent for it!
For Otero, she called it “an honour” to be coaching the kids in Ibiza, with the 22-year-old adding, “at one time, not too long ago, I was one of them. So, it’s a bit crazy that I’m here now teaching them. This is an honour, just as it is to represent Spain at the World Cup. So if I can transmit some of that here today, that makes me both happy and proud.”
Beyond the technical skills, what resonated most was the athletes' accessibility and enthusiasm. “It was really cool to train with them,” said 13-year-old attendee Maria. “I’ve seen them race before, so actually being in the water and learning from them was amazing. It made me want to get better and maybe be like them one day.”
By sharing their knowledge and time, Martinez and Otero bridged the gap between elite performance and grassroots participation, reinforcing the idea that champions are defined not only by their results but also by their willingness to give back.
As Ibiza reflects on hosting another stellar edition of the Open Water Swimming World Cup, sessions like this show a different side of the sport. For the young swimmers on deck, it wasn’t just about technique—it was about spending time with athletes they look up to, and seeing what might be possible.