UNSINKABLE PEOPLE: MANUEL AMAT, AN UNBEATABLE EXAMPLE OF HOW TO STAY AFLOATING IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY

It was the 1980s when Manuel Amat competed in the Spanish Whitewater Canoeing Championship. He was the only one competing with a disability, but his lack of lower limbs never stopped him from making things difficult for his rivals. However, as he himself admits, "finishing last wouldn't have mattered, considering how much fun the competition has always brought me."

As if that weren't enough, he later switched to sailing, competing in the 1992 World Championships in Barcelona, ​​the 1992 World Championships in Boston the following year, and the European Championships in Groningen that same season. He combined this with alpine skiing, becoming the first person from Spain to compete in the seated category and participating in national and international competitions. These included such significant events as the Paralympics in Albertville and Lillehammer, held in 1992 and 1994, respectively.

A tough return to competition after 20 years of inactivity

Not long after, his impressive sporting career came to an end, giving way to 20 years of a sedentary lifestyle. Until one day, while strolling through Barceloneta, a SUP and other water sports training center caught his eye. He began teaching classes and, as the months passed, regained the desire to compete against the best. There was just one problem: at almost 60 years old, would it be possible to face his competitors again?

While most mortals would see an insurmountable obstacle before them, unsinkable people like him simply appreciate an opportunity to show what they're capable of. So, instead of giving in to the challenge, he stayed afloat until, alongside his own coach, he competed in a SUP Race in September 2019, soon followed by a Gla Gla Race in the French commune of Talloires.

“It's very important to believe in yourself, and to achieve this, values ​​like perseverance, effort, sacrifice, and patience are essential,” she confided during a recent interview. “Playing sports largely fosters and strengthens these values.” For this reason, she encourages us to “be generous with ourselves and remember that, no matter how bad things are, there's always a solution, even if it means adapting to a new reality.”

Unsinkable People and AWA Sunglasses, an inevitable love at first sight

Throughout his new endeavor, Manuel Amat and AWA Sunglasses crossed paths. And, naturally, an attraction arose. “I liked the design and ergonomics of the different models,” he explains during our conversation. “And, above all, the originality of the sunglasses that float.”

As he sees it in his daily life, it's a feature that "gives you confidence and security. With sports and leisure activities, it's possible that your glasses might fall into the water. Before, you had to jump in right away to prevent them from sinking and being irretrievably lost." However, he adds, "now you can rest easy, because Awa Sunglasses have a face-adaptive design that makes it more difficult for them to fall." Even if that happens, "it's easy to retrieve them, since they stay on the surface."

Furthermore, the polarization of the lenses helps "protect your eyes from solar radiation, which reduces eye fatigue" and helps you focus 100% on your training and races. And, aside from the peace of mind these benefits provide on an individual level, the buoyancy of all models contributes to keeping our seas and oceans cleaner. As he reminds us, this prevents so much debris from settling on their bottoms.

One last challenge to overcome

The final part of our conversation unfortunately revealed a new obstacle to his continued aspirations. As he admitted, he's facing the toughest moment of his sporting career due to a double rotator cuff injury in his shoulders. Because of this, he was unable to compete in the SUP11 City Tour, a 220-kilometer, five-day race that crisscrosses the canals of Friesland, in the Netherlands. "It would have been my second time participating," he explained.

However, as you might expect, this isn't a goodbye, but simply a see you later. Because this illustrious member of our club of unsinkable people isn't giving up. "Now it's time to be patient and follow the prescribed physiotherapy treatment." A reassuring announcement that predicts a speedy return, for which we wish him every success. We're with you, Manuel!