Jose Antonio Mari Alcaraz

Watching films, going to the beach, football, basketball. (dxtadaptado.com, 02 Sep 2019; Athlete, 15 Aug 2018)

Winning bronze in the S9 50m freestyle at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. (dxtadaptado.com, 02 Sep 2019; proyectofer.es, 18 Apr 2019)

His family. (Athlete, 15 Aug 2018)

US swimmer Michael Phelps. (Athlete, 15 Aug 2018)

"If the head fails you, everything fails. Fitness is a matter of training. Nerves can make you lose everything." (vivaleliana.com, 23 Aug 2012)

He was named the 2017 Sportsman with a Physical Impairment of the Year at a ceremony in Terrassa, Spain. (rfeh.es, 19 Mar 2018; diarideterrassa.es, 17 Mar 2018)

He was presented with the Medal of the City in Terrassa, Spain, in recognition of his performance at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. (estoesdxt.es, 03 Jul 2013)

His partner Sarai Gascon has represented Spain in Para swimming, and competed at three consecutive Paralympic Games between 2008 and 2016, winning five silver medals and one bronze. She also won seven medals, including three gold, at the 2020 European Championships in Funchal, Portugal [held in 2021]. (dxtadaptado.com, 02 Sep 2019; SportsDeskOnline, 31 Jul 2021)

To compete at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Outside of competing, he aspires to become a sports psychologist. (proyectofer.es, 11 Feb 2020; sportlife.es, 09 Mar 2021)

He has functional limitation in his left leg. The impairment is due to a neuroblastoma, a type of cancer that affected his spine. (Athlete, 15 Aug 2018; as.com, 30 Mar 2018)

FURTHER EDUCATION
He has studied remotely for a degree in psychology at the Catholic University of Murcia [UCAM] in Spain. "I apply my knowledge for the sport, both for myself and with my partner Sarai Gascon. The psychological part is very important, it does not matter how well prepared you are at a physical level, if you are not mentally prepared, the competition will not go as you expect." (dxtadaptado.com, 02 Sep 2019; Athlete, 15 Aug 2018; sportlife.es, 09 Mar 2021)

EARTHQUAKE EXPERIENCE
In September 2017 he was in Mexico City, Mexico, when a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck. He was training at the Mexican Paralympic Centre [CEPAMEX] along with his national teammate Sarai Gascon and their coach Miguel Vazquez Calvo ahead of the 2017 World Championships, which were rescheduled for a later date following the earthquake. "We were in the room when we felt the floor moving. We got out, the corridors moved from one side to the other, the floor and ceiling vibrated a lot. The building did not have major damage but the gymnasium had some cracks and the water drained out of the pool." (marca.com, 21 Sep 2017; superdeporte.es, 20 Sep 2017; ondacero.es, 20 Sep 2017)