Swimming returns to the Olympics without the desired results, but with a desire to improve.

The Portuguese swimming team, which competed in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, returned to Lisbon this Monday without the desired results, but with the desire and ambition to repeat the experience and improve in the next Olympic cycle.

Swimmers Diogo Ribeiro, Camila Rebelo, João Costa and Miguel Nascimento had their flight from Paris delayed by an hour and arrived at the arrivals area after midnight, where family and friends were waiting to congratulate them on their performance.

“It was my first experience and I learned a lot. I already know what I will expect next time. What I said is not an excuse, it is just what I thought about this experience. I never wanted it to be an excuse, I will never do that. When I do something wrong, I am the first to admit that everything went wrong. This time everything went wrong, but I am used to good results and medals,” said Diogo Ribeiro upon arrival at the airport.

The world champion in the 50m and 100m butterfly (his first non-Olympic title) placed 16th in the 50m freestyle, reaching the semi-finals, but finished 20th in his chosen distance, the 100m butterfly, and 28th in the 100m butterfly. 100m freestyle.

“It is not the conditions that adapt to us, it is we who adapt to them. I was simply caught off guard, like other athletes. I am not the only one who said this, just this Monday Thomas Ceccon was caught sleeping on the street in Vila Olimpica because it is very hot and there is no air conditioning in the rooms. These are not excuses, but talk about how we would like to see better, if no one says it, things will not get better,” said the 19-year-old swimmer from Benfica.

Diogo Ribeiro was saddened by the criticism he received after statements he made shortly after leaving the Olympics, but now he wants to stay calm.

“First of all, we must know that I was Portugal’s fourth best result at the Olympic Games, and they were only my first. I want to be calm and serene, now I’m going on vacation, I don’t know for how long, I’ll rest and understand, as soon as we get back to what we didn’t do, try to reproduce as much as possible in the next Olympic cycle and be stronger than ever at the next Games,” the swimmer emphasized.

If Diogo Ribeiro felt he didn’t feel competitive in the French capital, Camila Rebelo knows the whole experience was positive after she finished 19th in the women’s 200m backstroke, the event in which she won the European sceptre this year.

“I think it was a positive experience, considering the whole experience. Of course, our performance at the Olympics is very important, but I learned a lot and will be back for the next Games with a good competition load,” he said, adding: “Now it’s time to give my body and mind the rest they need. After that, I want to continue my dual career.”

João Costa was 32nd in the 100m backstroke and, despite the result, stressed that his participation was “historic” as it was the first, pointing to Los Angeles 2028.

“Despite everything, in my opinion, it was a historic participation because it was my debut at the Olympic Games and it will always be special for me. I can say that I am an Olympian and now I have to keep working for more,” he said, adding: “It will be four long years with many challenges in between. Step by step, but in four years I want to be there.” [em Los Angeles, próximo local da competição]Certainly”.

At 29, Miguel Nascimento has achieved his dream of competing in the Olympics and despite not achieving the result he wanted, it was a “very emotional” week.

“After so many years of working towards this goal, it’s finished. Not in the way the team wanted, but now it’s time to see what we failed to do and try to understand what we need to improve so it doesn’t happen again,” he said, assuring that “I wanted more” and that it left him “a bit bitter in the mouth” and now he needs to rest.