Olympic Bronze Medalist Pau Echaniz Juggles Success in Canoeing and League of Legends
Spanish Olympian Pau Echaniz wins bronze in slalom canoeing and reveals his passion for League of Legends, aiming to improve his game rank.
Paris, Bollywood Fever: Pau Echaniz, a 23-year-old slalom canoeist representing Spain at the Olympics, revealed an intriguing parallel between his athletic and gaming achievements after winning a bronze medal in the solo slalom event on August 1.
In an interview with Spanish sports journalist and streamer Gerard Romero, Echaniz shared that he is currently ranked “bronze” in the popular online game League of Legends (LoL), humorously noting, “I’m bronze in LoL and bronze in the Olympic Games. I’m stuck, I can’t get out of it,” via a machine translation. Echaniz admitted he isn’t the best at the game and often watches professional matches for inspiration.
The Olympian’s candid admission caught the attention of his League of Legends idol, Spanish streamer Ibai Llanos, who praised him as “the best Olympic medalist in history.” Echaniz fondly recalled watching Ibai when he was a commentator for the Spanish LoL league, LVP SuperLiga.
On August 5, Echaniz posted a photo of his bronze medal next to a gaming laptop, showing a League of Legends match queued up, presumably in France. In his post, he expressed his goal of reaching the gold rank in the game before returning to canoeing.
United States Olympic star Noah Lyles, known for his love of nerd culture and competitive gaming, responded to Echaniz’s post, expressing his readiness to join a League game soon. “This bout to be me after the 4x100m,” Lyles commented.
There is speculation that League of Legends might become an Olympic event in 2025, following the International Olympic Committee’s creation of the Olympic Esports Games in July.
The 2024 Olympic Games have been filled with captivating stories both within and beyond the realm of athletics, including the drama of the USA gymnastics team and various teams making anime references. Echaniz’s unique blend of Olympic success and gaming passion adds another layer to the diverse narratives emerging from the tournament.
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