{"id":845,"date":"2012-08-17T22:04:00","date_gmt":"2012-08-17T22:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/spanish-swimmer-dedicates-olympic-medals-to-virgin-mary\/"},"modified":"2012-08-17T22:04:00","modified_gmt":"2012-08-17T22:04:00","slug":"spanish-swimmer-dedicates-olympic-medals-to-virgin-mary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2012\/08\/spanish-swimmer-dedicates-olympic-medals-to-virgin-mary\/","title":{"rendered":"Spanish swimmer dedicates Olympic medals to Virgin Mary"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Barcelona, Spain, Aug 17, 2012 \/ 04:04 pm (CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- Spanish swimmer Mireia Belmonte offered her two silver medals from the London 2012 Olympic Games to Our Lady of Monserrat in Barcelona.<\/p>\n

\tThe 21-year-old \u2013 who won silver in the 800 meter free-style and the 200 meter butterfly \u2013 posed for a picture before the image of Our Lady of Monserrat and posted the photo on her Twitter account, which has grown from 7,000 followers to 56,000.<\/p>\n

\tIn an Aug. 4 press conference, Belmonte, the only Spanish swimmer to win two medals in London, said both were of \u201cequal value\u201d to her. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\u201cOne cost a little bit more effort than the other because it was a longer race,\u201d she recalled. \u201cBut all of my rivals were very tough and before it starts you don\u2019t know what is going to happen because everyone is very strong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tBelmonte trains almost nine hours a day and said she plans to work hard to prepare for the world championships next year.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cI have never participated in such an important international competition here at home, and plus my family will be able to be there, since this time they couldn\u2019t make it,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

\tThe swimmer was born in Badalona, Spain, in 1990. She began swimming at the age of four at the recommendation of doctors to help correct her sclerosis.<\/p>\n

\tIn 2007 she became the world champion in 400 meter free-style and the 400 meter medley, and she also won both races in the European Juniors Championship.<\/p>\n

\tBelmonte told Europa Press she was not surprised by U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky\u2019s gold medal victory in the 800-meter free-style, as American swimmers are more accustomed to competing before large crowds and under greater pressure.<\/p>\n

\tFifteen-year-old Ledecky also witnessed to her faith at the Olympics, saying she prays the Hail Mary before each race.<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

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Barcelona, Spain, Aug 17, 2012 \/ 04:04 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- Spanish swimmer Mireia Belmonte offered her two silver medals from the London 2012 Olympic Games to Our Lady of Monserrat in Barcelona.<\/p>\n

\tThe 21-year-old – who won silver in the 800 met…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-845","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-europe"],"yoast_head":"\nSpanish swimmer dedicates Olympic medals to Virgin Mary<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Barcelona, Spain, Aug 17, 2012 \/ 04:04 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- Spanish swimmer Mireia Belmonte offered her two silver medals from the London 2012 Olympic Games to Our Lady of Monserrat in Barcelona. 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