Elena Congost, the athlete who lost a medal for helping her guide

During the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Elena Congost's name was in the news around the world. The marathon runner had run a flawless race and crossed the finish line in third place. She was about to win her first medal since Rio 2016. However, joy turned to disbelief after being disqualified by the judges. Just a few meters from the finish line, her guide suffered a cramp, and while trying to stop her fall, Elena let go of the rope that connected them for a few tenths of a second. That gesture of help, as instinctive as it was human, deprived her of the victory she had been working for years.

"For us, it was a blow; we had prepared better than ever for that competition," recalls Roger Esteve, her coach. How do you deal with a situation like this? Despite the harshness of the moment, her husband, Jordi Riera, emphasizes the importance of serenity: "There's nothing you can do but hug her and stay calm: she gave it her all." It's in these moments that the athlete, the person, demonstrates her greatness. "We saw ourselves with the medal," Elena confesses. But after the disappointment comes the certainty of having done the right thing: "Sometimes, a gesture is worth more than a medal," the athlete acknowledges.

Because there's one thing Elena is very clear about: “values ​​come before any financial reward or any podium finish.” Values ​​she shares with CaixaBank, an institution that has supported her throughout her career and is fully involved with Paralympic sport. Thanks to its direct contribution to the ADOP Plan, many athletes like Elena can count on a scholarship, access to medical and physiotherapy services, and the necessary conditions to focus on training and competition.

And this commitment goes beyond the financial. CaixaBank promotes the recognition of these athletes for what they truly are: elite athletes. Elena identifies with that nonconformist spirit that inspires an entire generation of athletes. Because if her story proves anything, it's that true triumph isn't just about winning a medal or breaking a record: “In the end, what I'm left with is going to sleep peacefully knowing that I did what I had to do.”

Since she was a child, Elena has learned to see life her way. Her visual impairment, a degeneration of the optic nerve from birth, has shaped her personal growth. "I'm often asked how I see," she explains. "But for me, the way I see is the only way I know; it's my reality." As a child, it's easy to feel different because of having a disability. However, for Elena, sport became the best way to gain confidence. “The fact that you excel at something, in a sporting activity, and that your peers admire you makes you feel so good,” she recalls.

Elena's story isn't one of someone overcoming a limitation, but rather that of an athlete who, like so many others, has turned her reality into a motivation to continue growing. Her testimony demonstrates that, in sports, there are no barriers, only goals to be achieved. Effort and perseverance are at the heart of her career. So too is the value of feeling recognized, loved, and supported.

. This support is precisely the foundation of sporting success. The support of her partner and coach have been fundamental in overcoming the challenges posed by both sport and life. “From Elena, I've learned the ability to fight, to give everything for a goal, and commitment,” observes her husband. Equally important is the presence of someone who pushes her to give more in every race, to improve every day. As her coach, Roger Esteve, says, “discipline and commitment are Elena's hallmarks.”

It's clear that this support network enhances the performance of an elite athlete, in addition to reinforcing her well-being and daily motivation. And that same spirit of support is what defines CaixaBank's commitment to Paralympic sport. Because success is not built alone, and behind every goal achieved is shared work, a commitment to true inclusion.

The life of an athlete is, above all, the life of a person, and challenges never cease to arise. A few months ago, Elena was diagnosed with cancer, which, far from stopping her, has strengthened her fighting spirit. “Now we're going through a marathon that's a treatment,” she explains. Once again, the support of her loved ones is her greatest driving force. “I believe that a couple is now a team in itself,” says Jordi, “and when you have a family and children, that team works together, side by side.”

A shared life project in which another major challenge also looms on the horizon: reaching the final of the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028. “Sport has always been my lifeblood,” Elena says, “and my children also help because I want them to see my path.” After what happened in Paris, her motivation is even greater. “We deserve to give everything for that goal,” Elena affirms.

In every step taken by Elena Congost, there is a story of effort and perseverance. A story that CaixaBank shares through action, supporting those who push their limits and even redefine them. Because promoting Paralympic sport also means supporting a more diverse, stronger, and fairer society, where everyone can reach their full potential without relinquishing their identity.

Like Elena, CaixaBank believes in challenges as opportunities. In the courage to move forward when everything seems to stop. In that goals are not measured only in podium finishes, but in the ability to inspire, to endure, and to keep believing. And disability? "That's a different story," says Elena. A story of overcoming challenges and the power that comes from feeling supported.