A moving tribute to Matías Bottoni at the club where he grew up: "I wouldn't be alive without the support of the fans."
Matías Bottoni , the young swimmer from Rosario who suffered a serious injury to his fifth cervical vertebra during the National Championship held in May at Buenos Aires' Olympic Park, continues to work on his rehabilitation at a specialized clinic in San Jerónimo Sud. But he was present in spirit at Echesortu this weekend. In the swimming pool of the Rosario club that saw him grow as an athlete, more than 300 people - many of whom stayed outside because there was no more room in the venue - participated in a moving tribute attended by his mother Valeria Grimaux and his coach Gustavo D'Andrea .
"Without people's help, he wouldn't be alive. It's very difficult, but he keeps going. We have faith. Thank you," said Grimaux, moved by the outpouring of affection and words of support she received from everyone.
It was the first time Bottoni's mother stood in front of the pool where he trained as a swimmer since the May 10 accident that changed the family's life forever.
Firmly at her side were Florencia , Martina 's mother, Matías's girlfriend, and D'Andrea, who is slowly returning to his job as Echesortu's coach.
The Echesortu swimming pool was packed, and some people even stayed outside. Photo courtesy of Lucia Calvino
"I couldn't go to any tournament," he confessed to the Rosario newspaper La Capital . He also said that he continues to closely accompany his pupil, visiting him every week and exchanging messages with him every day.
“This is going to be long, but I'm a person of faith. And since Matías is a lion who's used to high performance, waking up early, training double shifts, and putting things aside for the sport, I know he's treating this recovery like training,” D'Andrea commented.
The tribute had been in the works for 45 days and was organized in complete secrecy to be a surprise for the swimmer. "No nets," D'Andrea warned his other pupils, who also made a gesture that moved everyone.
The boys who competed after the tribute wore a special cap dedicated to Bottoni. Photo courtesy of Lucia Calvino
When they jumped into the pool to compete—the event was held as part of an official Rosario tournament—they all wore caps with the slogan " #Todos por Mati" and several crane drawings. Bottoni's entourage said his room at the clinic is adorned with 8,000 of these Japanese origami-style paper figures, which, according to Japanese folklore, are linked to hope and the fight against disease.
The same cap worn by the boys who swam in the Echesortu will go on sale by the Deutsch brand in the coming days. But it has already reached José Meolans , the former world and Pan American champion and Argentine swimming legend who is Bottoni's idol. The Cordoban took a photo with the accessory to join the message of support and strength.
Bottoni, 17, had an accident during a warm-up for a competition. While practicing starts, he collided with his neck against the back of another swimmer who had crossed his lane recklessly, but with such bad luck that the impact fractured part of his spine and caused a spinal cord injury that compromised his mobility.
Meolans posed with the cap in support of Matías Bottoni. Photo: Twitter
Uncertain about whether he would ever regain movement in his legs, he began a long recovery. And two weeks ago, he took a huge step on that path.
Because 76 days after the accident, he dived into a pool again . It was with the therapeutic support of the Aprepa Center team and as part of a hydrotherapy treatment that was added to his rehabilitation efforts. It was a significant challenge for Bottoni, who, despite the unpleasant memories, was determined to return to the water, his place in the world.
Clarin
