Donovan Carrillo: The Guadalajara figure skater receives the Will Sears Award in New York

This Thursday the figure skater from Guadalajara, Donovan CarrilloHe received the award Will Sears in New York recognizing the tenacity in his passion that the Mexican has for this sport, which he described as a “watershed” for his career and for Mexico.

This prize was handed out a few hours before sliding down the runway Chelsea Piers at a gala presented by the company Ice Theater in New YorkCarrilo took a break after training and said he felt “grateful for the opportunity,” which he hopes will continue to open doors for him.

The skater explained that after realizing his dream in February to join some of them Winter Olympic Games its goal is “to be among the top fifteen places in a world competition”, which he recognizes is complicated by the level but which he pursues “with the hunger to reach it”.

Carrillo, 22, appeared in the Big Apple after debuting at the Figure Skating Grand Prix in Norwood (Massachusetts, EU) which he recalled as a “pleasant experience” although the elements did not come out “as in practice”, a self-criticism that encourages him to “improve this season”.

And it is that the young athlete, who became the first Mexican skater to compete in a Winter games in 30 years and has a legion of fanshe says that he tries to do “things with pleasure” and that “it is good to be recognized”, but he does not forget to “keep his feet on the ground”.

In this sense, recognized to enjoy the US public: “Skating is a bridge for us Latinos and Mexicans all over the world, and I feel connected to them. There are many people who have emigrated and have difficult histories, with effort and sacrifices,” he explained.

The Olympic finalist said he empathizes with these emigrants and that the possibility of them identifying with him is something that motivates him to continue growing, to which he added: “The pattern that unites us is that those of us who place gods we are the limits “.

In addition to this motto, the athlete encourages his followers to “fight for dreams”, like that boy from Zapopan (Mexico) who has fulfilled her dream of skating for the past 14 years, e “take advantage of the opportunities within your reach, even if they are not the best”.

Carrillo, who is already looking at the Milan Olympics 2026guarantees that the “time flies” and he has to grow at the same speed as his sport, so he follows some hard training 6 or 7 hours a dayhalf of the skating rink, “to reach an optimal sporting level”.

MF