モールから北京へ　「ばかげた夢」実現したメキシコのフィギュア選手

【北京ＡＦＰ＝時事】メキシコの男子フィギュアスケート選手ドノバン・カリジョは、ショッピングモールの中にあるアイスリンクで練習をしている。フィギュアスケートを始めたきっかけも、女の子の気を引くことだった。（写真は北京冬季五輪、フィギュアスケート男子シングル・ショートプログラム＜ＳＰ＞。演技に臨むメキシコのドノバン・カリジョ）
　それでもカリジョは、メキシコの選手としては３０年ぶりに五輪フィギュアの出場権を勝ち取ると、８日に行われた北京冬季五輪の男子シングル・ショートプログラム（ＳＰ）では、同国の選手として初めてフリースケーティング（ＦＳ）に進出した。しかもその過程を大いに楽しみ、ＳＰでは陽気な演技で自己ベストをマークした。
　「これで終わりたくなかった」とカリジョ。「もっと滑りたかったし、五輪という夢から覚めたくなかった」と話した。
　８歳のときにフィギュアを始めた理由は、女の子にアピールすることだったが、そこからカリジョは競技に没頭した。そして２２歳となった今、五輪に出場するという夢をかなえた。
　「フィギュアを始めたばかりの頃は、大勢の人からばかげた夢だと言われた。いつも笑われ、メキシコ人が予選を突破するなんて不可能だと言われた」
　「僕はそんな考え方はしたくなかったし、常に努力しようとしてきた」
　今大会では、普段練習しているショッピングモールのリンクが五輪規格とは異なるため、サイズに慣れる必要があった。というより、メキシコに五輪規格のリンクは一つもない。カリジョも「正直に言って、難しい部分だ」と話す。
　母国で一緒に練習するのは、ほとんどが１１歳から１４歳の女子選手で、実力は初級から中級。それでもカリジョは「いつも与えられた環境で何とかしようとしているし、それがここへ来られた理由だと思う」と明るく振る舞う。練習環境を変えるつもりもないという。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】

〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/02/10-11:56）

Donovan Carrillo practises on an ice rink in a shopping mall and only got into figure skating in the first place to impress a girl.
But on Tuesday he became the first Mexican to progress past the first round of the Olympic figure skating -- and had a lot of fun doing it.
A vivacious short programme performance to Santana's Black Magic Woman and Shake It -- complete with a cheeky hip thrust -- earned him a personal-best score and a place in the men's single free skate on Thursday in Beijing.
I didn't want it to end, he said. I wanted to keep skating and living the Olympic dream.
In trying to show off to a girl as an eight-year-old boy, he found his calling.
Now 22, it is a dream come true to be at the Beijing Games.
Many people told me during the beginning of my career that this was a crazy dream for a kid, he said. They were always laughing or telling me it was impossible for a Mexican to qualify.
I never wanted to think like that and I always tried to push harder.
He credited his coach, with whom he shared a long hug before taking his starting position on Tuesday, with believing in him from a young age.
- 'Challenging' -
Carrillo landed a difficult quadruple toe loop jump early in his routine and visibly drew confidence from this.
Yeah I was super happy, he laughed. I tried to calm a little bit because I had the whole programme (to go!)
He said he had to make adjustments to it because the shopping mall rink is not Olympic-sized -- in fact, there are none in Mexico that are.
It?s challenging, I am not lying, he said of the limitations.
Most of the other skaters he trains with are 11 to 14-year-old girls, at novice or intermediate level.
But he said instead of being negative, I always try to work with what I have and I think that?s key for me to be here.
Carrillo has no plans to try and change his training situation.
I think it?s working, he said. So when something is working, I don?t believe in change too much.
- 'Like an onion' -
Carrillo was the first Mexican figure skater to qualify for the Olympics in 30 years and is conscious he is one of the few Latin American athletes at the Winter Games.
He picked the music for his routine because Carlos Santana was born in Mexico and because he is Carrillo's father's favourite artist.
Carrillo's striking costume, a black shirt streaked with rays of golden crystals, was custom-made for free by Mexican designer Edgar Lozano.
I always try to think on different artists who motivate me to represent my country at the world level, Carrillo said.
There is one last thing about the Beijing Games he is not used to -- the sub-zero cold.
I?m like an onion, I always put some layers on me, he laughed. But I'm having a great time.