AT times life throws us a curve ball and we are put to the test. The outcome depends on a person’s will power to struggle and overcome adversity. That is precisely what Granma native Lorenzo Pérez has been doing for the last five years and today is filled with pride having won a triple crown at the Gudalajara 4th Parapan American Games

An accident which occurred while he was repairing his home in Niquero, Granma province, caused a spinal injury which left him unable to walk.

"It was six years ago, the worst moment in my life, a cement block wall fell on top of me while I was repairing my house that had been damaged by Hurricane Dennis. It took me a year to recover from the shock, but I decided to reintegrate myself into society and saw swimming as the road forward. I had always liked sports," said the athlete, smiling.

His performance in Guadalajara could not have been better, emerging victorious in his international debut, winning the 400-meter freestyle with a 5:40.47 time and then establishing new continental records in the 50 meters (31.44) and the 100-meter (1:09.42), to contribute half of the titles won by the four-person Cuban team which finished in sixth place among countries participating in the swimming competition (6-3-1).

"Honestly, yes. It was my first international competition, but I was very well prepared. These medals are the product of five years of effort. Contributing to them were my family, my coach Dayron Jorge – who I started working with at the beach in Las Coloradas - and Ernesto Garrido, who was always checking on my development and has been working with me for six months at the San Nicolás de Bari pools, the Marcelo Salado School and the Baraguá pool complex, where I adapted to the change involved in swimming in fresh, as opposed to salt, water."

Thus Lorenzo swept aside the high marks established by Brazilian Adriano de Lima, who has a time of 31.95 seconds in the 50 meters established December 15, 2002 in Mar del Plata, and 1:10.46 in the 100 meters.

"Actually, no. My goal was to break the records in three races, but I swam the 400 meters before I had adapted to the altitude and it affected me. Quite the opposite with the 50m and the 100m, though I will admit that I am a sprinter and feel more comfortable with the shorter distances. I swam in the first heat in Guadalajara, so I had to wait to see my main rivals’ times. I didn’t feel much pressure since their qualifying times were all lower than mine."

"A title in the 2012 London Para Olympics. After a vacation, it will be like starting over. The goal has been set, I want to improve my times and if I do so, I know that I can aspire to winning medals, titles and maybe setting records."