14 setembro, 2012

The passionate Oscar Galindez


Written by: Markus Rössel-Slowtwitch.com
Date: Thu Sep 13 2012

"It was very, very hard to convince her," Oscar Galindez remembers. "I attempted once, I tried twice, I tried a third time and finally she agreed to date me." Oscar laughs out loud and glances at his wife Lisa. "Maybe that is the reason I always try and never give up!"

We are standing in a cozy kitchen in the heart of Santos. The 500.000 inhabit city, just down the road from Brazil’s crazy busy metropolitan Sao Paulo, is base for South-Americas most popular and successful triathlete. In typical argentine-style Oscar is sharing the traditional mate tea and a big smile.

The question that has been bothering me since I knew we are going to meet was fairly obvious. Why is this man still driven to race triathlons at the highest level? After 26 years in one of the hardest sports this world has to offer it looked to me like a miracle.

26 years hold a lot of stories and memories and some are quite obvious as you walk across the apartment. Oscar’s passion for the sport - and the success that came with it, is visible everywhere. Trophies, medals, photographs and all kinds of mementos are difficult to overlook. One wall is dedicated to magazine covers and images which display Oscar's battles and wins. They show the progress from the Olympic Distance up to the Ironman. In addition to capturing Oscar’s career they also are a timeline of the sport of triathlon. Nearly three decades saw a lot of transformation in person and in gear. Oscar knows it all - first hand.

"This was a huge race!" He is pointing at a cover of an US-Magazine. "It was a Super Sprint Distance race in California. Extremely difficult format!" A glimpse at the participants is like visiting the triathlon hall of fame. In all these years Oscar raced nearly everybody past and present. There are not many big names he hasn’t met or raced. But after all these years he is still starving for more knowledge and he tracks the scene meticulously.

Sebastian Kienle’s aggressive effort on the bike and subsequent win at the 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas makes Oscar cheerful. "That is the way to win a race. I enjoy watching tough bike riders, as my strength always was the bike. Watching Sebastian achieve the win like this blew me away."

This shows what a great sportsman Oscar is. Honoring a young athlete and challenger with all the respect he deserves displays class.

The race in Las Vegas was supposed to be the highlight of Oscar’s 2012 season. To finish up his preparation for the event he journeyed from his residence in Brazil back to his home nation of Argentina. Close to Cordoba is what Oscar calls home. Once the kids are on holidays the whole family heads down south. But the last vacation in the countryside changed the whole season.

It began with Oscar's 16-year old son Thomas. Thomas was heading out for his daily bike training and when Oscar got out an hour later he noticed a crash up the road. As he came closer to the accident he could see that a bike rider was involved and a couple of seconds later he recognized his own son. "Everybody can picture that this was one of the worst moments of my life." An ambulance was already at the scene when he arrived. "My son was lying beside the road with medical attention. The car looked pretty bad so I thought the worst thinkable." The doctors calmed down the shocked father. Thomas did not suffer major injuries and after a couple of days in the hospital he was already feeling better. Now he only has smiles when he talks about the crash. "It is ok now, the wound though heals slowly," Thomas states. Training cannot wait. He already is back to normal. The DNA of his father is clearly present.

Bad luck hits twice they say and just a couple of days after the crash of his son, Oscar's end of the season came in form of a truck. As that truck passed him while Oscar was on the bike, an overhanging piece of wood knocked him off the street. "I couldn’t do anything. It was a shock. When I was lying on the side of the road I realized that this is something severe." The vehicle did not stop and rushed on. He tried to look up to recognize the number plate of the truck but couldn’t tell anything. Lucky enough a car watched the accident and the truck driver was eventually caught by the police. "I was training pretty well. All the workouts leading to Las Vegas went fine. I gained back some speed and then this happens.” Upset and helpless - season over.

"Swimming and easy biking is all I can do at the moment. I am forced to take it easy." Sitting on the sofa and watching last weekend's live stream is not the preferred activity for someone of Oscar's caliber. "Four to five times a week I see my physiotherapist. It helps a lot and I have to do it to get back fast." Witnessing how focused Oscar works out with his therapist you know why he still is going strong, even at age 41.

A book he grabs looks time worn. He opens it with a smile. "Look. This is my training log from 1989." Since that year he monitors his training and racing. A journey through all the books is a journey to a major part of Oscar’s life. "It is crazy. When I see stuff like this I can only shake my head in disbelieve." He points out heavyweight training weeks and racing weekend after weekend. On a continent where distances are enormous, his 'rest days' are the travel days. "I raced the middle distance race in Pucon in Chile. After that race I toured across the continent to race Olympic Distance in Entre Rios in Argentina the next weekend. Wild!" He smiles conscious that this was the 'old-school' way of doing things. Various photos fall out if the files and old training procedures from his coach. Oscar stares at them and shares memories of good and bad races.

It is unusual to meet a legend of this reasonably young sport that still is active at the premier level. This season began well for Oscar as he raced to 8th place in the loaded 70.3 competition in Panama. "After the swim people told me I’m down 1.5 minutes. When I jumped on my bike my legs felt good and I could push." He managed to catch up with the leaders and got the fastest bike split in a race that featured the likes of Lance Armstrong, Rasmus Henning and Chris Lieto. Knowing that long distance racing slowed him down, the focus for the forthcoming season is to gain back speed with short distance racing.

Listening to an athlete approaching his 27th season you can still see the excitement in his eyes. And it all comes back to his wife Lisa as Oscar will try and try and never give up. Until he gets what he wants!


The sites of Oscar Galindez are below:

oscargalindez.com
ogdesign.com.br

http://www.slowtwitch.com/Interview/The_passionate_Oscar_Galindez_3070.html


12 setembro, 2012

A day with Oscar Galindez - Slowtwitch

El periodista Alemán Markus Rossel del prestigioso website slowtwitch, estuvo en Santos acompañando a Oscar Galindez en un día de actividades, para ver las fotos entrar en el link:

 http://www.slowtwitch.com/Lifestyle/A_day_with_Oscar_Galindez_3067.html



08 setembro, 2012

Oscar Galindez fica de fora do Mundial Mundial de Ironman 70.3, em Las Vegas



Ainda em recuperação do acidente, Oscar Galindez fica de fora do Mundial Mundial de Ironman 70.3, em Las Vegas

Vice-campeão em 2007, quarto em 2008 e neste ano atravessando grande fase, o argentino radicado em Santos, Oscar Galindez será u
ma das grandes ausências no Mundial Ironman 70.3, neste domingo (9), em Las Vegas, nos Estados Unidos. Tendo como principal foco essa disputa, o atleta da equipeEspaco Tremendão Santos foi atropelado por um carro no dia 29 de julho, durante numa estrada em Córdoba, Argentina.

“Uma pena. Estava realizando, junto ao técnico Edwin Vargas, de Miami, uma sistematização muito boa com treinos mais intensos focados em recuperar a velocidade, que ultimamente parecia engavetada, por causa do Ironman. E estava indo muito bem, inclusive, fazendo tempos iguais ou similares aos que fazia quando treinei para Olimpíada 2000, com ganho de velocidade em provas distâncias short e olímpicas”, lamentou.

No exame de ressonância, realizado há duas semanas, foi constatado rotura de fibras musculares na porção Peri Ilíaco, com um grande hematoma, e microfraturas da articulação do sacro ilíaco. “Já estou melhor, recuperando bem, Já estou nadando e essa semana iniciando os treinos de corrida e pedal, tudo bem leve. Além dos treinos, claro, estou fazendo fisioterapia com o fisioterapeuta, triatleta e amigo, Charles Costa”, contou.

Galindez destacou a triste coincidência ocorrida com o seu filho, Thomas, que está iniciando no triathlon e foi atropelado na mesma estrada, apenas cinco quilômetros de distância do local. “Parece coisa de cinema, mas foi pura realidade e graças a Deus, analisando o acontecido, as consequências poderiam ter sido muito piores”, falou, lembrando que o filho só teve uma feriada na perna. “Para acelerar a recuperação foram aplicadas células-tronco e ele está progredindo muito bem e rapidamente”, revelou Oscar.

Seu acidente foi um ato de imprudência do motorista. “Fui impactado nas costas. Na realidade o que me bateu foi um tronco que era transportado em uma carreta rebocada pela camionete. Os troncos estavam atravessados na carreta, alguns passando inadequadamente a largura dela. Uma imprudência da parte do condutor, que além de colocar a carga de forma irregular, não calculou a distância de ultrapassagem”, reclamou. “O impacto foi forte me jogando para fora da estrada. Foi um susto muito grande. Se o tronco tivesse me acertado três centímetros mais a direita, atingiria a minha e ai melhor nem pensar”, acrescentou.

Galindez esperava um ótimo resultado na prova de domingo. A expectativa era retornar aos top 5 do Mundial. “Como sempre esperava o melhor”, disse o triatleta que tem 26 anos de vivência na modalidade, muitos títulos importantes e é patrocinado por Olympikus, OG Design, Oakley, Santaconstancia, 11afondo, Aqua Sphere, Volvo, Autostar, Profile Design, Zipp e Tremendão.

Sem desanimar, Galindez já projeta se retorno ainda nesta temporada. Agora, o objetivo é a recuperação. “A prioridade é recuperar e fortalecer o suficiente para, então, poder encarar treinos mais fortes e competições”, anunciou o triatleta, agradecendo o apoio dos patrocinadores, do fisioterapeuta Charles Costa e também dos médicos Miguel Naveira e Benno Ejnisman, do Instituto Moisés Cohen, de São Paulo. “Pelo atendimento, boa vontade e disposição na minha recuperação”, completou.

Para saber tudo sobre a carreira de Oscar Galindez, há o site oficial:
www.oscargalindez.com

CRÉDITO OBRIGATÓRIO DA FOTO: Oakley Brasil-Haroldo Nogueira








06 setembro, 2012

Galindez se pierde el Mundial de Las Vegas



Posteado por Triamax on sep 6th, 2012

El argentino Oscar Galíndez se perderá el Campeonato Mundial de triatlón distancia Half Ironman que se realizará el próximo domingo en Las Vegas, debido a las secuelas que le dejó el accidente que sufrió semanas atrás mientras entrenaba en su provincia.
En brasil, país donde reside, Galíndez esta llevando adelante el proceso de recuperación con el doctor Benno Ejnisman, el mismo que lo trato de una lesión en el hombro 11 años atrás. El accidente le provocó un fuerte golpe en la zona dorsal baja, lo que le impide realizar cualquier tipo de actividad deportiva, aunque evoluciona favorablemente. El objetivo es poder volver a la competencia antes de fin de año.
Los representantes
La delegación argentina estará compuesta por una veintena de corredores que han podido lograr su clasificación. Entre las categorías hay que destacar a Damian Gallina (30-34), Martín Chapochnikoff (35-39) y Daniela Lopumo (30-34) que tienen posibilidades de pelear por los principales lugares.
En tanto que la elite todos apuntan a los bicampeones Craig Alexandre y Michael Raelert pero también habrá que seguir al alemán Sebastián Kienle, ganador del 70.3 Miami 2011, y Beban Docherty, ganador de 70.3 Panama, ganador de dos medallas olímpicas y 12° en Londres 2012

http://www.triamax.com/2012/09/06/prerace-las-vegas-703-2012/