Queralt Castellet becomes first Catalan to ever win a Winter Olympics medal

Queralt Castellet has become the first Catalan athlete to ever win a Winter Olympics medal. The snowboarder took the silver medal after coming second in the halfpipe event on Thursday.

After a slow first run, the 32-year-old scored 90.25 in her second performance in the final, which was only surpassed by America's Chloe Kim, who scored 94 in her first run. Japan's Sena Tomita came third.

Queralt Castellet had come in fourth place in the qualification, comfortably granting her a ticket to the final.

The sportswoman from Sabadell has clinched the highest achievement in her career at her fifth Olympic Games. Her previous highest ranking until now was seventh in the last Games, held in PyeongChang in 2018. She made her debut in the Olympics when she was 16 in Torino 2006. 

Catalonia's biggest medal hope of the past decade, member of the CMET sports club, is one of the most decorated winter sports athletes in the country, with a spate of World Cup 1st place finishes to her name.

"I have dedicated every day, every hour, every minute of my life to the sport I love, snowboarding," she said in an interview with Rac1 radio station after winning the medal, admitting she has made "loads of sacrifices and efforts."

"It is a dream, after a lot of work," she added. "I hope this success makes people think that it is possible, that we are a winter country and everything is possible," she answered when asked about what this means for Catalan sport. 

In favor of Winter Olympics

During the interview, Castellet also sided in favor of hosting a potential Winter Olympics in Barcelona and the Pyrenees in 2030. "It would be incredible, it would mean extra motivation for winter sports, it would help change the conception that Spain is only a summer country," she expressed. 

As the Catalan government is trying to put together a bid to host the event in eight years, alongside the Aragon region and the Spanish Olympic Committee, a heated debate over the issue is taking place in Catalonia. Have a listen to our recent podcast to learn more:  

Castellet has received plenty of congratulations on social media, including from Catalan president Pere Aragonès: "What an example of talent, effort and determination". In his tweet, he also said Castellet is "a model for sport and for the whole country."

Quin exemple de talent, esforç i constància, @q_castellet! Felicitats per aquesta victòria olímpica als Jocs d'hivern. Ets un referent per l'esport i pel país sencer. Enhorabona! 🙌🏼 https://t.co/0gmAcuqzeV

— Pere Aragonès i Garcia 🎗 (@perearagones) February 10, 2022

Other top Catalan athletes, like retired basketball player Pau Gasol, also congratulated her, saying it is the first silver medal Spain has ever won at a Winter Olympics, after a gold by Paco Fernández Ochoa in 1972 and a bronze by his sister, Blanca, in 1992.  

🥈 Medalla de plata para Queralt Castellet en #Beijing2022!!

Lo ha conseguido en la prueba de halfpipe #Snowboard y se convierte en la primera plata de nuestra historia en unos @juegosolimpicos de invierno!! ❄️

Enhorabuena @q_castellet, has hecho historia!! 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 pic.twitter.com/c7S5KAOIPH

— Pau Gasol (@paugasol) February 10, 2022