“In the Junior European last year I ended up happy. In 50, surprised, because I was not waiting for me. I had no goals, just have fun. And I was second!“, account Luca Hoek smiling when asked to go back a year in time. Because twelve months give much, even more so when you are still in the age of taking the first steps. Yours already know what it is to step on A Junior Continental Podium (Silver in the 50 Free of Vilna 2024) When I was still in children's age.
Luca Hoek Le Guenedal (11-3-2008) is one of the great pearls of national swimming. Of Dutch father, of French mother and born and raised in Sitges, his bet has always been that of the Spanish team. Therefore, to continue with its meteoric progression, with continuous records of ages in the crol, it will make the leap to a great absolute competition in its year in the junior category. The classification with the relay for the Singapore World Cup has just obtainedfor which it is already officially selected waiting for the official composition of each quartet.
Of course, your bet is high: He was absolute champion last March in 100 and in 200 freein addition to second in 50 free, and in recent days in Palma de Mallorca it has been second both free and 100 freein this last test as best Spanish. He resigned from the final of 200 free after being second in the preliminary.
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This means that Luca, waiting for the specific quartets to be confirmed in each test, has a free 4×100 ticket and 4×100 styles for the World Cup. But, above any type of pass, What it has are very clear things. “The goal was to go to Singapore, to the World Cup. But also in the European Júnior I want to aspire to the medals. I want to fold the two and in Júnior the goal is to make a good brand, ”he warns. Indeed, before Singapore (from July 27 to August 3), Hoek had already been officially selected for a Junior European from Samorin (from July 1 to 6) for which it has for months tickets in 50 free, 100 free and 200 free. It is clear that he wants to aspire to improve his continental silver last year.
But, also, that the goal is now to improve, beyond results. Therefore, at the end of last season he made an important decision in his career. “I trained with Emilio Huete in Sitges. He had been for twelve years or so. Now I have seventeen, “Luca explains.”I decided to start this season with the RFEN, in the Car de Sant Cugat with Ben Titley. The truth is that at the beginning of the campaign I still did not notice many improvements, but in the Spanish Winter Championship I already noticed a great advance, ”he describes.
“With the change to the CAR we are making more volume of meters, with nine training a week. I am working more the aerobic and we have influenced my way of swimming to move more continuously”
An advance that is still maintained. The decision was made by Luca with his surroundings thinking about his future, but also in his present. “I decided to take the club to the Car because it was complicated to combine swimming with the 'school'. Now it is easier because everything is online, with a 'teacher' that helps us in everything, “he appreciates.” He is going very well. The coach was also reputed to be very good and we have good facilities, ”he says.
A great change in day to day
In this season 2024-2025, Luca Hoek is living great changes in his facet as a swimmer. Above all, at the routine level. His day to day is totally different from the one he did so far. “Before I only did a training up to date and with 5000 meters maximum,” he describes. “Now we are in nine training a week and I have already reached 6000 meters or even 7000. It is more volume”he explains. He thanked his team for the transition he has lived during the first months of the season. “Ben has done it progressively. We have gradually increased meters and intensity and I have adapted very well, ”he says.
Luca Hoek, runner -up of Junior Europe of 50 free last summer, will premiere this season with the absolute selection in a World Cup
He smiles while he says it, happy for a bet that makes him want to continue improving every day. “I am working more the aerobic. Last year I trained very little and was a lot of speed. I lacked aerobic and resistance and now I am training that to improve, ”he explains about the greatest specific change in his training, beyond volume.
Because, at your age, it is time to focus a lot on technical aspects. “We are working for rhythm and height helps that, with oxygen management,” says Luca. “We have influenced my way of swimming to move more continuously, more frequently. Before I made more dead point”he explains. “We are still in it, but I think it will be achieved in the end,” he says about one of the facets that Ben Titley is most insisting.
In another already note great improvements. “In exits I look very good, but in turns I have improved this year”describe. During this season it has changed in full all its movement prior to the wall touches. “Last year ago two or three kicks in the turn. Now I have passed six”account. “It's a little more, by the coach's advice, but it shows,” he admits. Because the change of movement goes beyond having subtracted a few tenths to the clock. “Above all, It helps me that I save four or five strokes and that is an energy that you can get in the last meters”, He explains.
“I get better in the free 100. I look strong, confident. I really don't know what it changes with respect to 50, but it is a test that I like”
But he is aware that, beyond these progress that he is applying and that he has to continue working, there are many challenges ahead when improving. “I look enough for improvement, especially in the return of 100”says. “In the first leg I have to go the same, but I find it hard to endure more in the final part after the return. The last twenty -five meters are long ”admits. That resistance work is another facet that has introduced more frequently this season.
The concentrations with the selection have been a constant and Hoek is noticing the differences of the objectives pursued in one time and in another in the season. “We went to South Africa before Sabadell to prepare the March Open. It was a cool experience, we did to a safari!” He says laughing. “I noticed me well for the competition and the last day I gave everything and it went well. I thought about those brands, but I knew it was difficult to achieve them,” he says about that winter open.
It was an important competition, but not the main one. “In the weeks before the Ciutat of Barcelona we were concentrating in height in Andorra and that made the brands there were not so good. The goal was Palma,” he says as a comparison. Palma de Mallorca has taken him to the World Cup after a more long -term preparation.
A transition to 100 and 200
Luca Hoek is current runner -up of Junior Europe of 50 free, despite that initial dose of surprise he felt last year. Perhaps, because it is clear that the focus must be in somewhat longer tests. “I get better in the free 100. I look strong, confident. I really don't know what it changes with respect to 50, but it is a test that I like”says Luca. Keep reflecting. “It is that 50 I see it too short and any error makes you a time,” he adds. There is a margin of improvement and is determined to increase its resistance in the final part. He feels his proof.
Luca Hoek has maintained his great progression this season
However, not neglecting any of the three distances (it is classified in 50, 100 and 200 for the Junior European) is a strategy in its progression. “This year I wanted to focus more on 50 and 100 but, the one that comes, look more at 100 and 200”Luca explains. There is a reason for it. “It is for my swim style. I have a style more than 200 that I think is not going to adapt so well to 50. This year we have set aside 200 because my coach says that you have to improve little by little, calmly, ”says the results, in effect, they have corroborated it.“ Being close in Sabadell of the minimum for the World Cup made me happy and wanting to continue improving, ”he says. It was a mood impulse that has served to face this Open of Palma de Mallorca.
“I have seen myself swimming with the greats in the Ciutat of Barcelona. They are still swimmers”
Because, despite the fact that Luca Hoek is champion of Spain, he will be absolute World Cup in Singapore and continues to improve his times with great sensations, he is still a seven -year -old boy who is taking his first steps among the greats and who only wants to continue learning. In that sense, he has lived notable experiences this season. In the Ciutat of Barcelona a few weeks ago, for example, he lived the experience of sharing the final of 100 free with first swords like Duncan Scott or Tom Dean. “Next to the greats in the Ciutat of Barcelona I have seen myself well. They are still swimming”it remains importance to the Luca scenarios.
The only one that counts right now is to continue building its path, with work as the only way to grow. There will be time to dream. “I don't have that very thought, but, in the future, my dream is an Olympic final”he says laughing, aware of how the way to reach those goals. But, in him, he continues to step firm. Therefore, at seventeen years, Luca Hoek has already made his first big jump: he will be absolute World Cup in this 2025.
