Néstor Abad

Spanish artistic gymnast
Néstor Abad
Personal information
Full nameNéstor Abad Sanjuan
Country represented Spain
Born (1993-03-29) 29 March 1993 (age 31)
Alcoy, Spain
ResidenceMadrid, Spain
Height1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
DisciplineMen's artistic gymnastics
LevelSenior international elite
Years on national team2010–present (ESP)
ClubSan Blas
Head coach(es)Fernando Siscar
Medal record
Men's artistic gymnastics
Representing  Spain
Mediterranean Games
Gold medal – first place 2013 Mersin Team
Gold medal – first place 2013 Mersin Vault
Gold medal – first place 2018 Tarragona Team
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Tarragona Horizontal bar
Youth Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2010 Singapore Horizontal bar
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Singapore Vault
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Singapore Rings

Néstor Abad Sanjuan (born 29 March 1993) is a Spanish male artistic gymnast. He represented Spain at the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games and will represent them for the third time at the 2024 Olympics Games. Additionally he competed at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010 where he won three medals.

Early and personal life

Abad was born in Alcoy in 1993.[1] In 2013 he moved to Madrid for further training.[2] He and his wife Sonia have two children together; a son Eiden and a daughter Lis, who was born while Abad was competing at the 2019 World Championships.[3]

Gymnastics career

Junior career

Abad competed at the 2010 Junior European Championships where he won gold on rings. Abad competed at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010. While there he won three medals: silver on horizontal bar and bronze on rings and vault.[4]

Abad competing at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games

First Olympic cycle: 2013–2016

Abad competed at the 2013 Mediterranean Games where he helped Spain win gold as a team. Individually he won gold on vault. Later in the year he competed at the 2013 World Championships where he placed twentieth in the all-around.[5]

In 2014 Abad tore ligaments in his knee.[6]

Abad competed at the Cottbus World Cup in early 2015 where he won bronze on horizontal bar behind Ümit Şamiloğlu and Pablo Brägger. At the 2015 European Games Abad placed sixth in the all-around.[7] At the 2015 World Championships Abad helped Spain finish thirteenth during qualifications.

In early 2016 Abad competed at the Olympic Test Event. He finished twelfth in the all-around and qualified Spain a non-nominative Olympic berth. At the 2016 European Championships he helped Spain finish eighth. Abad was selected to represent Spain at the 2016 Olympic Games alongside Ray Zapata, who had qualified at the previous year's World Championships. During qualifications Abad finished 31st and was the third reserve for the all-around final.[8]

Second Olympic cycle: 2017–2021

Abad competed at the DTB Pokal Team Challenge in early 2017 where he helped Spain finish fifth.[9] Abad competed at the 2017 World Championships but did not qualify to any finals.

In early March of 2018 Abad competed at the American Cup where he finished ninth.[10] At the 2018 Mediterranean Games Abad helped Spain retain their team title. Additionally he won bronze on horizontal bar. In September he competed at the Paris Challenge Cup where he won bronze on horizontal bar. At the 2018 World Championships Abad finished eleventh in the all-around.[11]

In April of 2019 Abad competed at the Tokyo World Cup where he finished seventh.[12] In June he competed at the 2019 European Games where he finished sixth in the all-around. At the 2019 World Championships Abad helped Spain finish eleventh during qualifications. Although they did not qualify for the team final, they qualified a full team to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.[13]

Abad competed at the 2020 American Cup where he finished ninth.[14]. The remainder of competitions during 2020 were either canceled or postponed, including the 2020 Olympic Games, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

In summer 2021 Abad was named to the team to represent Spain at the postponed 2020 Olympic Games alongside Thierno Diallo, Nicolau Mir, and Joel Plata.[15] During the qualification round Spain finished twelfth and did not advance to the team final.

In late 2021 Abad competed at the 2021 World Championships. He finished tenth in the all-around.[16]

Third Olympic cycle: 2022–2024

In early 2022 Abad was diagnosed with myocarditis.[6] He was able to compete at the 2022 Mediterranean Games where he helped Spain place fourth.[17] At the 2022 European Championships Abad only competed on three events but helped Spain finish eighth as team. At the 2022 World Championships he helped Spain finish sixth, which matched their previous highest placement record set in 2007.[18]

In April of 2023 Abad competed at the 2023 European Championships where he helped Spain finish sixth. Abad competed at the 2023 Tel Aviv World Challenge Cup where he won silver on rings and gold on horizontal bar.[19] At the 2023 World Championships Abad helped Spain finish ninth during qualifications; as a result Spain qualified a full team to the upcoming Olympic Games.[20]

Abad competed at the 2024 European Championships where he helped Spain finish fifth as a team. Additionally he finished seventh in the all-around. In July Abad was selected to represent Spain at his third Olympic Games alongside Thierno Diallo, Nicolau Mir, Joel Plata, and Ray Zapata.[21]

References

  1. ^ "Nestor Abad". Proyecto FER (in Spanish).
  2. ^ "Nestor Abad: "Se ha hecho largo pero estoy satisfecho de la experiencia"" [Nestor Abad: “It took a long time but I am satisfied with the experience”]. El Nostre Ciutat (in Spanish). June 11, 2020.
  3. ^ "Baby daughter sweet consolation for Abad after All-around". International Gymnastics Federation. October 12, 2019.
  4. ^ "YOG 2010 (SIN) 3 gold medals for Asia in the second day of apparatus finals". Asian Gymnastics Union. August 28, 2010.
  5. ^ "Fabián González y Nestor Abad, a la final del concurso completo del Mundial" [Fabian Gonzalez and Nestor Abad, in the final of the World Championships all-around competition]. El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). October 1, 2013.
  6. ^ a b "Néstor Abad sufre miocarditis: "Peligró mi vida"" [Néstor Abad suffers from myocarditis: "My life is in danger"]. International Olympic Committee (in Spanish). April 18, 2022.
  7. ^ "Néstor Abad,de Becas Podium, sexta plaza en los Juegos Europeos de Baku 2015" [Nestor Abad, from Podium Scholarships, sixth place at the European Games in Baku 2015]. Podium (in Spanish). June 19, 2015.
  8. ^ "Néstor Abad, tercer reserva para la final de Gimnasia Artística de Río 2016" [Néstor Abad, third reserve for the final of Artistic Gymnastics in Rio 2016]. Página 66 (in Spanish). August 7, 2016.
  9. ^ "2017 DTB Pokal Team Challenge Results". The Gymternet. March 17, 2017.
  10. ^ "Hurd, Moldauer win American Cup titles". USA Gymnastics. March 3, 2018.
  11. ^ "Néstor Abad: «El año 2018 ha sido muy bueno, pero aún tengo margen de mejora»" [Néstor Abad: «2018 has been a very good year, but I still have room for improvement»]. Proyecto FER (in Spanish). November 29, 2018.
  12. ^ "Hurd, Mikulak win all-around titles at Tokyo World Cup". USA Gymnastics. April 7, 2019.
  13. ^ "Néstor Abad volverá a ser olímpico" [Nestor Abad will be an Olympian again]. Proyecto FER (in Spanish). October 8, 2019.
  14. ^ "Hurd, Mikulak win American Cup titles". USA Gymnastics. March 8, 2020.
  15. ^ "Néstor Abad confima su participación en Tokyo 2020" [Néstor Abad confirms his participation in Tokyo 2020]. Cadena SER (in Spanish). July 1, 2021.
  16. ^ "2021 World Championships Men's Results". The Gymternet. October 27, 2021.
  17. ^ "2022 Mediterranean Games Men's Results". The Gymternet. June 30, 2022.
  18. ^ "The MAG Record Breakers in Liverpool". The Gymternet. November 6, 2022.
  19. ^ "Néstor Abad gana la final de barra en la Copa del Mundo de Tel Aviv" [Nestor Abad wins the bar final at the Tel Aviv World Cup]. Marca (in Spanish). June 4, 2023.
  20. ^ "Gymnastics 101: Who's qualified for the Paris Olympics?". NBC. March 18, 2024.
  21. ^ "No hay dos sin tres en la trayectoria de Néstor Abad" [There are no two without three in Néstor Abad's career]. Super Deporte (in Spanish). July 15, 2024.

External links