Still hoping to become a five-time Olympian: Gasol

Spanish basketball star Pau Gasol, a six-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion, aims to become a five-time Olympian at the age of 41 in the summer of 2021.

Madrid, April 16 Spanish basketball star Pau Gasol, a six-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion, aims to become a five-time Olympian at the age of 41 in the summer of 2021.

The Barcelona-born center planned to play for Spain at the Olympics in Japan this summer, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the International Olympic Committee to postpone the event until 2021, reports Xinhua news agency.

"I was hoping before everything changed and got postponed, or cancelled, that I was going to have enough time to heal my injury, to get in an appropriate shape to be able to compete and play and still, at 40 years old, play my fifth Olympics this summer in Tokyo," Gasol said in an interview with the Olympic Channel.

"But the truth of it is that, in summer 2021, I'll be 41, which is a challenge," Gasol added.

Gasol led Spain to the 2006 World Cup, silver medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games and bronze at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The 39-year-old, who has been capped over 200 for his country, missed the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China due to injury.

"I don't know if there is such a thing, you know, as a perfect ending," he said. "Obviously winning an Olympic medal, a gold medal, would be, I think, the best possible way that you could think of

"I've come to terms with the fact that if I didn't have the chance to play again, I've had an incredible career so I'll be happy regardless," he added.

Gasol and Spanish tennis star Rafa Nadal launched a fund-raising campaign at the end of March, with the objective of raising 11 million euros to help residents in need during the health emergency.

( With inputs from IANS )