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| Human Interest | |
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Further Personal Information | |
| Residence | Vancouver, BC, CAN |
| Higher education | International Relations - University of British Columbia: Vancouver, BC, CAN |
General Interest | |
| Injuries | In 2014 he was out of action for seven months after tearing the left side of his groin. (olympic.ca, 01 May 2016) At age 17 he popped a disc in his neck after he was involved in a car accident. The injury forced him to stop pursuing swimming as his main sport. (olympic.ca, 01 May 2016; gothunderbirds.ca, 03 Aug 2012; Athlete, 06 Sep 2010) |
| Superstitions / Rituals / Beliefs | He always does a squat and a jump at the start line before a race. (olympic.ca, 01 May 2016) |
| Famous relatives | His grandfather was reserve goalkeeper for a professional football team in Mexico. (Athlete, 06 Sep 2010) |
Sport Specific Information | |
| Why this sport? | "I first learned the basic technique at a young age when I lived in Mexico. I didn't take up the sport until grade 10 when my gym teacher insisted I compete in the British Columbia track and field championships. He assumed I would be good since Mexico has a history of Olympic medals in the sport. I took up the sport full-time when I joined the UBC [University of British Columbia] track and field team." |
General Interest | |
| Most influential person in career | Coach Gerry Dragomir. (Athlete, 06 Sep 2010) |
| Hero / Idol | Australian race walker Jared Tallent. (olympic.ca, 01 May 2016) |
| Awards and honours | He received the 2011 Bus Phillips Memorial Trophy, which is given to the male athlete of the year at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (gothunderbirds.ca, 01 Jan 2016) |
Sport Specific Information | |
| When and where did you begin this sport? | He took up the sport at age 15 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. |
Further Personal Information | |
| Occupation | Athlete, Lawyer |
| Languages | English |
General Interest | |
| Other information | RETIREMENT In May 2017 he announced his retirement from competitive sport to pursue a career in law. He had studied law at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. "I raced in Monterrey, the start of a new season. The race was tough but illuminating. Consistent with my racing style, I went with the lead group, but unlike previous versions of myself, I couldn't keep up. On my way to the finish line, I thought about the sport and all that it had given me. Six months ago, I was in a similar situation, considering whether to step away from the sport but unlike today, I opted for the familiar choice - to continue. Today, I am ready to move on. We have been programmed to persevere, to fight on, to never give up, but sometimes [and in very rare occasions], stopping is exactly what one must do. I see this as letting go. I can now pursue new opportunities, find a new purpose." (athletics.ca, 03 May 2017; olympic.ca, 01 May 2016) MOVING TO CANADA He was born in Mexico City, Mexico, and moved with his family to Canada in 1999. (olympic.ca, 01 May 2016) |
Further Personal Information | |
| Family | Wife Carmen Alvarez |