Image: Pau Echaniz X (Twitter) account
Echaniz's daily routine includes squeezing in a hefty dose of League of Legends.
The 2024 Paris Olympics have showcased incredible athletic talent most of us could only dream of, but one of the most relatable stories to emerge is that of Spanish slalom canoeist and Olympic Bronze medalist Pau Echaniz.
Echaniz, who secured a bronze medal in the K-1 Slalom event, has gained additional attention in the gaming community for his candid admission about being an avid League of Legends (LoL) player. Despite his Olympic success, he humorously confessed to being stuck at Bronze rank in the game.
After winning a bronze medal, Echaniz posted a photo on X (formerly known as Twitter), of his prize next to his gaming laptop, joking that he wouldn't get back in a canoe until he reached gold rank in League of Legends. For context, Bronze and Gold are considered lower-tier ranks in the game.
In an interview with Spanish sports journalist Gerard Romero, Echaniz admitted how committed he is to ranking in LoL as well.
Echaniz’s daily routine includes playing LoL
Echaniz revealed his daily routine in the same interview, which includes waking up at 9 a.m., grabbing breakfast, and squeezing in some LoL games before afternoon training. He also occasionally streams on Twitch through his cleverly named channel "pauerangerr."
Even on the day of his big race, he managed to play a couple of matches (which he lost).
"Before my final, I lost two games of LoL and got really angry," he said (through a machine translation of the interview.)
When asked about his skill level in the game, he sheepishly admitted, "I'm bronze in LoL and bronze in the Olympic Games. I'm stuck, I can't get out of it," with a grin.
Echaniz also expressed his admiration for Spanish caster and streamer Ibai Llanos, calling him "my idol."
When Romero jokingly suggested that Ibai should recruit him for his team, Echaniz eagerly replied, "I would love to. Ibai is my idol. I've been following him since his early days in the LVP."
Not the only LoL gamer among athletes
Echaniz isn't alone in his love for gaming. American sprinter Noah Lyles commented on Echaniz's post, saying, "This bout to be me after the 4x100m," ready to jump into a League match post-race.
Lyles also recently won gold in the men’s 100-meters final at the Paris Olympics on Monday (5 August).
With rumours of League of Legends being included in the Olympic Esports Games in 2025, the line between traditional sports and gaming is blurring.
But while that’s still quite a long way to go, stories of Echaniz and Lyles remind us that Olympic athletes are humans too.