Triathlete Hernandez returns home for the European Cup after a series of successes.

Vicente Hernández, a triathlete with experience in the 2016 Rio Olympics, is returning to professional sports after a serious injury that sidelined him for four and a half years. In December 2023, he began to rise to the level of the best again.

In almost two years since his return, Chente (as he is known) has shown excellent results in short and medium distance competitions. In early September, he finished second at the Ironman 70.3 in Poznań, Poland, and qualified for the 2026 World Championship. And last weekend, he was again second at the European Cup stage in Ceuta. Now he is preparing for the competition in Tenerife this Sunday. This competition is special for him, as it will be the first time he competes at home. And, as he says, he will do it with a smile and pleasure.

"Everything is very good, very good," the athlete says about his performance in Ceuta. "I planned the season to focus on short distances first, then medium distances, and then return to short distances at the end of the year. It was a warm-up before the competition in Tenerife."

Hernández is now preparing for the competition in Santa Cruz, where the final stage of the 2025 European Cup will take place this Sunday, the 12th. Participants will compete in a sprint: 750 meters of swimming in the Dársena de los Llanos area, 20 kilometers of cycling (the route starts in Plaza de España) and 5,000 meters of running along the same route as the cycling. Vicente, who has been doing triathlon for almost 13 years, does not hide his excitement about competing at home. "This is the first international competition held here since I started competing. I am very happy that there will be many friends and family who will be able to watch, and I will feel the support," he says.

Although expectations are high, he does not feel pressured. "Winning is not mandatory, but I want the race to go well. This needs to be handled. I feel pressure in many competitions, and I have to get used to it. I hope everything goes well next week," he reassures. If he wasn't worried at the Olympics, he won't be worried at home either.

Competing in home competitions, Hernández continues to work on returning to the world elite. He spoke about it back in April 2024, when he began to show his first successes: "I will be thrilled when I can compete again in the World Series or in other races that I think I am capable of."

He is on the right track and, as he says, "much closer than last year." "I think I have made significant progress this year. I haven't had any injuries so far, and last year I missed part of the season due to a muscle tear. I know myself better and have more opportunities to train. In medium distance competitions, my results have improved every month. I think I'm a little closer to my goal. This year I was able to participate in Ironman competitions of a fairly high level and recently qualified for the 2026 World Championship," he says with satisfaction.

His excellent mood is due not only to good results, but also to excellent health. Chente is proud that he currently has "the fewest injuries and problems" in his entire career. He trains "smartly", trying to achieve progress "in the medium and long term". The lack of competitive rhythm has not affected his physical condition, and after a long injury, his mentality is ready for any challenge. In addition, he now knows himself better and can "better cope with the training load."

His perseverance does not prevent him from enjoying the process. On the contrary, he takes the best from this "different" stage. "Now I enjoy having more opportunities to train and feeling more relaxed. For two years now, I have been able to choose the races that I think are best for my progress. I enjoy this freedom," he concludes.