The Catalan Sebas Lorente finishes and starts the year in the best possible way: at the top of the EDGA (European Disabled Golf Association) ranking in the “Wheelchair” category, and very satisfied with the confirmation of the European Challenge for Wheelchair Golfers, which will be held again from April 24 to 27 at the Club de Golf Terramar, in Sitges (Barcelona).
Sebas was one of the protagonists of the last EDGA adapted golf event, the Algarve Open held in December at the Pestana Vila Sol course in Vilamoura, reduced to a single day due to inclement weather. Sixty-six players representing 11 countries took part, including Spaniards Adolfo Lena, Xavi Rubio, Enrique Ramirez and Sebas. “The course was impracticable, it did not stop raining for several days forcing the suspension of the second round for safety reasons, since it posed a serious risk to the players. The first day we also competed under tough conditions of rain, wind and cold, but that’s golf”.
“It was very exciting -continued the Catalan golfer-, I picked up three awards: second tied in Stableford with 29 points (the Englishman Trevor Hillen won with 30), winner in the “Wheelchair” category and number one in the European ranking, also in that category. I knew I would finish in a good position thanks to the results obtained during the year, but to finish as number one… I didn’t know it until they said my name in the awards ceremony and the rush was even greater. Adolfo Lena finished third in the 3rd category handicap classification, Xavi Rubio fourth in 2nd category handicap and Enrique Ramirez seventh in Stableford”.
“The season has ended and started in a big way -admits Lorente-, very happy with the number one and very encouraged to compete this year, which begins in February with the celebration of the Open de España at the Parador Málaga Golf. And very satisfied with the inclusion of the European Challenge for Wheelchair Golfers (a competition exclusively for wheelchair players) in the EDGA calendar, which I hope to maintain for many years in gratitude to all those who support us and believe in this initiative, such as Terramar, my club of all my life, which has always been involved in the tournament, as well as sponsors, federations and the media”.
“Lately there has been a lot of talk about golf and health and I must say that it is a highly recommended sport: you practice it for four or five hours outdoors, it facilitates and enhances social relations and is good for the head, you disconnect from everything, it forces you to think about the strategy of the course -sometimes more than necessary- and you demand a lot from yourself because you never reach your limit. In golf, there is always room for improvement and you force yourself to reach it”.
Sebas Lorente (Barcelona 27-8-62) suffered a car accident in 1983 that left him paraplegic. Twenty years later, thanks to the adapted golf courses organized by the Sergio García Foundation together with Deporte y Desafío, he resumed the sport he had practiced as a child: “I went back to play golf with my son and it was the best decision, golf gave me back part of what I thought I had lost”.
“When you suffer an accident like I did and you are in a wheelchair, doctors recommend you to stand upright (held with parallel bars) for at least one hour every day; I did it for the first few months but then I stopped doing it until I started playing golf. The verticality allowed by the “Paragolfer” (special wheelchair for golf) is very beneficial for the circulation, the digestive system, to prevent osteoporosis…. The doctor says that I have improved in all these aspects thanks to golf, and the paradox is that the worse I play and the more strokes I take… the happier the doctors are because I have to get upright more often,” he jokes.
The European number one in the “Wheelchair” category graduated in Law, however, life and golf have taken him in a different direction: he currently gives motivational conferences for companies based on his own experience and, every day, when he wakes up, the first thing he does is tweet phrases like these:
19,851 days getting up in #GoodHumor Age doesn’t have to be 1 brake if you’re excited to start 1 project. Go for it! #HappyWednesday
19,845 days getting up in #GoodHumor If you “kill” the one who makes a mistake, will you kill yourself when you make a mistake yourself? #HappyThursday
19,817 days getting up in #GoodHumor If we have a bad day, let’s at least avoid making others pay for it. It’s only 24h! #HappyThursday
19,760 days getting up in #GoodHumor If the road is not the right one, you either change your path or you don’t get to your destination. #HappySunday
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