Like we all know, specifically in France, this summer is a sporting one with the launching of Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The most important and sports event of the World, gathering on July 26th thousands of sportsmen and women, coaches, and supporters. So, we have thought, that communicate this sport spirit all along the summer, to the workers and holidaymakers will be such a pleasant idea.
Let’s start officially with this blog articles series : "Abyss Ingredients at the heart of sport" dedicated to sport practice of our athletes, but also our Abyss team… Stay tuned!
Portrait of the day: Benjamin Molinaro
Benjamin Molinaro is a young Breton sportsman. After an impressive cycling career until he came of age, he's now committed to triathlon/Ironman (crazy stuff we know 😱).
He now combines his career as a hospital dietician with that of a long-distance triathlon/Ironman athlete (he's not afraid of anything) 💪.
Benjamin is the tireless one, hungry for a challenge, inspired (and inspiring) by a motto that echoes at Abyss: "100% of myself is worth nothing compared to 1% of the whole team". |  |
We are very proud to sponsors him in his sporting career and to share a small extract with you in this interview.
What values does the sport pass on to you?
“For the values, I would say humility, always stay humble, don’t aim for a too high objective. Be realistic about our skills, don’t show off too much, stay humble even in front of the win. Something very important that I've also been taught is the notion of sharing because you can't necessarily do it alone. You might think that in an individual sport like mine, it's just me, but that's not the case. Whatever the sport, individual or team, you need a whole team behind you, made up of coaches, medical staff, sponsors, family...
And then there's the challenge of surpassing yourself. The whole dimension that allows you to see how far you can push your limits, how far you can go, in terms of time and distance, especially for the Ironman.
In my sport, for example, there's always room for improvement in terms of time, distance, and technique. You can manage to do a marathon twice but tell yourself that the 3rd time will enable you to improve your time, for example.”
Can you tell us about a success you are proud of, but also a failure and what you have learned about it?
“The most important success for me was, I think, a few years ago, when I was younger. I was 17 years old, and I had the chance to participate in the cycling World Cup, which was in Brittany, almost in the city where I was living. No matter the results, it was my greatest objective to qualify for such a competition and to compete with some of the big names who are still taking part in the Tour de France, for example. It was a source of great pride for me, especially for my family, as it was being held on my home ground, and it gave me experience of the level expected in this kind of competition, which is really like something from another world!
The biggest disappointment was the Ironman in Nice a few weeks ago. I did well in the swim, not so well on the bike because the time wasn't what I wanted, my back was very sore and it was impossible for me to push myself, and the run was even worse because a predictable injury that was preventing me from training properly resurfaced and had a negative impact on my race.
To be perfectly honest, I was expecting a lot from this race, so failure made me question myself a lot, but then you put things into perspective and try to remain optimistic. All that to say that it didn't do much for me, apart from the desire to get back at it, to get back into training, to outdo myself and to show that it happened once and that there won't be a second time.”
What is your strength and you weakness on Ironman?
” Swimming was a big weakness, but with training I've become pretty good at it, so it's really been a big improvement. My strong point is cycling, due to the many years I've been doing it. I'm inevitably regressing now that it's the only thing I do, but it's still my strong point that allows me to catch up.
Running is clearly my weak point because I often get injured. It's a vicious circle because I can't work on it anymore, as I get injured regularly. And these injuries mainly come back during training, because it's a sport where there's a lot of impact compared to other sports. You must be patient without overdoing it, and I have to admit that I'm still struggling with that. You must strengthen your muscles, which I don't always have the time to do, so it's complicated.”
What are your next goals?
"The aim was obviously to qualify for the Ironman Hawaii, but that wasn't possible given the results of the Nice Ironman. Today, I'm still thinking about the next competitions, but at the end of the season (September), I think I'll go for a 'half Ironman' or an L-distance triathlon, which is the equivalent. I haven't decided which yet, but that's the objective.”
Who are the sportsmen or women who inspired you?
"When it comes to inspirational sportsmen and women, the question is rather difficult... but I'm going to say Kilian Jornet. Kilian Jornet is a top-level Spanish athlete specialising in ski-mountaineering, mountaineering and ultra-trail. He's a sportsman who's always looking to go beyond his limits, even in training and with a strong competitive mentality, all the while remaining very human and that's what I find admirable."
Before an Ironman, did you think that psychological preparation is important as well as physical preparation?
"I wouldn't say it's any more important than physical preparation, which is already very important. It really depends on one person to another. Personally, I don't put much stock in it, I'm more focused on my performance and the result. I'm sure of myself, and all that's left is to do it, in inverted commas, but I don't really put much emphasis on psychological preparation. I know that I'm ready, that I'm trained, that I know my level, and if something happens, too bad, but I know that I'll do everything I can to be there on the big day”.
What kind of advice would you give to all athletes who want to compete to a high level?
 | "The first piece of advice would be self-sacrifice. Don't give up, persevere, despite the setbacks. One thing is certain, you can't get everything at the first cost, at least not most of the time. Not everything can be achieved overnight, but perseverance will always pay off in the end. The other piece of advice would be to enjoy yourself too. Especially at high level, because that's all you do, and if you don't enjoy it, it's very difficult to keep going over time.” |
Do you take dietary supplements as part of your sporting activities?
"I try to do it through my diet first, professional habit haha!
But otherwise, yes, I do supplement, I take whey every day, especially after training sessions like running, which are very traumatic. I also take it after big sessions, whatever the sport, for everything to do with muscle regeneration, speed, and recovery. It also allows me to do a series of sessions without injuring myself. I also take vitamin D supplements in winter, especially in Brittany haha, mainly for energy but also for my morale. Because I think that if you're in good spirits, you'll feel better all round, and physically, there's less risk of injury.
A word for Abyss?
“I don’t have more to say than THANK YOU! I really thank Abyss for their support in this sport project, I am proud to represent them, and I hope above all to be able to do them proud at the end of the season.”
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