Yumping.- Hello Blanca, thank you so much for speaking with us again. On 3rd March you won your latest prize in the RS:X class in Cadiz Bay... What did this victory mean to you?
Blanca Manchón.- It was a real personal challenge for me - I had flu the week before and didn't know if I'd be able to compete. It was crucial as it was one of the qualifying events for the Olympic Games. Winning felt incredible and was a great reward for the effort of recent months.
You didn't have the necessary equipment or funding to go to the Raceboard World Championship in Salou... What motivated you to compete?
I needed to compete to regain form after my pregnancy, so I decided to go with my family to enjoy myself - using entirely borrowed equipment - and try to forget everything I was going through after losing my sponsors and receiving little support from the federation at that time.
You gained sponsors thanks to your world championship triumph...
By winning and getting media coverage again, I could show I'd returned to competition with one clear goal: competing at Tokyo 2020. My story about sponsors abandoning me when I became a mother and the injustice faced by athlete mothers also became known. This publicity made the phone ring, with new companies like Instituto Español and Hero now joining my sporting project.
You've just signed a deal with Hero... What do you think of this company and your new sponsors?
This sponsorship with HERO came at the perfect time and gives me great peace of mind preparing my Olympic campaign. I strongly identify with the brand, which is essential when representing them. I also have support from INSTITUTO ESPAÑOL who believed in me as an athlete mother from the start. Last year I signed with Club Náutico Puerto Sherry, giving me that extra support I previously lacked.
What's your routine like now with Noah?
At home when he's at nursery I train and work on my businesses, then we have lunch, play and take a much-needed nap. In the afternoon his grandparents look after him while I do my second training session. We come home, shower, have dinner and sleep. My husband is a coach and director at our training centre, so we basically coordinate our schedules. During competitions, Manuel becomes super-dad, travelling worldwide with Noah to watch me and be together.
Has your life changed with him?
More than my life, what's changed is the logistics and how things get done.
Is your training the same or has it changed?
We've opted for more concentrated, higher intensity quality training blocks. Before I could spend hours on the water without worrying, but now that's impossible with motherhood responsibilities. The logistics and rest periods have changed significantly, but you adapt when you find techniques that work.
Is it possible to combine motherhood with being an elite athlete?
Being a mother and Olympic athlete is absolutely possible. At first it seems tough and complicated - without help it's practically unviable. You need absolute clarity that the road back to results is long but achievable. With more institutional support from bodies like the Higher Sports Council, returning to competition would be easier and faster.
Have you had to choose between one or the other?
I thought about it often - the system pushes you to choose. But my desire to experience an Olympic campaign with my son was stronger. Without my incredibly supportive family making things possible, it would be impossible or much harder.
What's your view on inequality faced by women in elite sports?
There's no maternity leave or similar provisions - a pregnancy year plus time until you win again means no income. Elite athletes in Spain don't pay social security - I've competed since age 12 without contributing a single day while representing Spain. The system needs modernising to give equal opportunities to men and women in sports careers.
Did you ever consider giving up when you learned you were pregnant?
The pregnancy was planned, but what happened afterwards made me reconsider. The issue is that motherhood years coincide with women's peak sporting years (26-35). Taking time out without knowing if you'll return or get support is an adventure. Many retire because of this uncertainty and the perception that mothers should disappear from sport.
What do you think about anti-pregnancy clauses imposed on some female athletes?
I've seen them mainly in team sports, though they're gradually disappearing. We've reached a point where athletes see this as normal - that motherhood means disappearing from sport. But it doesn't have to be this way. While all women feel post-partum social pressure, athletes face even greater expectations.
Do you think you've improved athletically since having Noah?
Completely. I feel better than ever - with greater endurance and strength. Motherhood brings mental maturity and organisational skills that help enormously. The first months are frustrating until you regain fitness and establish new routines with your child, but afterwards you feel capable of anything. You also learn to put things in perspective and value your lifestyle more.
Should there be more visibility for problems athlete mothers face?
We must modernise - acknowledge this problem and change support systems to make them effective. Many girls face the same issues but stay silent. I was like them - initially thought losing sponsors when giving birth was normal, then realised how shocking this was. It's like being fired from any other job - unacceptable, though more obvious elsewhere. In sport it's seen as normal.
Why does women's sport have less visibility than men's?
It depends on sports consumers. Historically few women followed sport, and while more women of all ages now participate and watch sport, it's hard for them to discover or engage with women's sport without media coverage - and men don't either.
Will we see you at Tokyo 2020 Olympics?
We're overcoming barriers and working as hard as possible. After many years I feel mentally strong - I've been working towards this qualification both on and off water for two years. I'm 99.9% certain for Tokyo - it's the first step towards winning a medal at Tokyo 2020.
We interviewed you in 2010... How have you changed in ten years?
The 2010 Blanca was different - now I'm an improved version, happier and more self-assured, proud of my sporting career and family. Everything comes when it should. See the full interview here
What are your goals for coming years?
We're focusing solely on the Olympics - the year will be dedicated exclusively to that. We know what works for planning and maintaining motivation. Our training methodology will adapt to improvements needed to medal. I'm excited by the prospect of experiencing this with my family.
Thank you Blanca, we wish you all the best.
Thank you.
