Mexico City 2017: Monica Boggioni looking forward to Worlds debut

“This will be my first experience with the Italian swimming team. I have never competed in such an important event before, so it will be very important to be able to manage my emotions. I don’t know if I will be able to break world records there, but surely I want to do my best and I will."

In exact one month’s time, when the World Para Swimming Championships begin in Mexico City, Monica Boggioni will be happy and relieved. For a moment, the 19-year-old Italian swimmer thought she would have to wait another year to be able to compete for her country for the first time.

The World Para Swimming and World Para Powerlifting Championships had to be postponed IN from September following a devastating earthquake near Mexico City that caused major damages to buildings and left hundreds dead.

“It was a strange feeling. I got scared because of the earthquake and sad because the spirit of joy that naturally comes from these kinds of [sport] events no longer existed. But I was also let down because I couldn’t compete in my first World Championships after months of training. For this reason I felt really happy when I heard the Championships had been confirmed again,” said Boggioni.

Winner of the first season of the World Para Swimming World Series, Boggioni goes to Mexico with high expectations.

“This will be my first experience with the Italian swimming team. I have never competed in such an important event before, so it will be very important to be able to manage my emotions. I don’t know if I will be able to break world records there, but surely I want to do my best and I will,” said the S4-SB3-SM4 swimmer.

The postponement of the World Championships also had an impact on Boggioni’s training routine. The Italian practices eight times a week but now has other important things to manage in her schedule.

“I have just started university so, if in the summer I could only train, now I have to mix swimming and studies. This has been a very long season. It wasn’t easy to keep on training when you had planned to relax after the World Championships.”

In an interview to Italian media this year, Monica revealed that besides swimming, the other thing she loves to do is to travel and to visit new places. The World Championships will not be her first time in Mexico and she does have a few tips to give.

“I went to Mexico for about eight days in September to train in the altitude before the World Championships. So I had the opportunity to visit the City and the famous Mayan Pyramids, what I liked to see the most.”

Following the competition and some well-deserved rest, Boggioni will be focusing on her studies to achieve another of her dreams.

“I’m attending a Biotechnology course in the university because one of my dreams is to do research to try to find new medical treatments to cure diseases not yet known.”

For more information on Mexico City 2017, visit the official website.