A Speedmaster Collector’s Story — Marking A Special Olympic Moment

We kick off the first Tuesday of 2025 with a reader’s story on his Speedmaster. This week’s contribution comes from Ricardo Rio, who resides in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Ricardo has been part of the Speedy Tuesday community for a long time. He has a professional background in sports and joined BMX Freestyle cyclist José Torres at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Competing with Olympic rifles

I will begin this article by sharing that I started my sports career very young. When I was eight, my father taught me to shoot with a Diana Mod. 25 air rifle. Shooting fascinated me because of the precision, concentration, and complete psychophysical self-control it demands. I started competing at 12, representing my club, the Tiro Federal Argentino de Buenos Aires. I quickly became an Argentine champion, and at 17, I was crowned South American Junior Champion, already competing with Olympic rifles.

From a very young age, my passion for sports shooting and fascination with the precision of watches went hand in hand. Every trip with the Argentine national team was a perfect excuse to buy a new watch. Even today, I spend my free time during international trips visiting historical sites and watch stores. Over time, my economic situation allowed me to gradually move up the ladder to acquire watches from various brands. However, my dream since childhood was always to own a Speedmaster Moonwatch. When I was eight years old, I came across a magazine while on vacation. One of its pages featured the iconic ad showing Ed White, the Speedmaster, and Earth in the background. That image was an emotional tsunami. It made a profound impact that marked me forever.

The Speedmaster Professional accompanied me during significant moments

My first Speedmaster 145.022 accompanied me during the final years of my competitive life. Having been a modest international shooter with good results at the South American and Pan American levels, I had the good fortune of competing in World Cups, World Championships, and Olympic qualifiers.

While participating in an Olympic Games would have made me proud, it was no less important to me that, as a member of the national team, I held a strong conviction that a solid, professional education in sports sciences would allow me to remain in this wonderful world. Thus, I graduated with a BA in Sports Science and a Ph.D. in Applied Sciences. My Omega Speedmaster was with me during all those moments. When I retired from the national team, I set a new goal — to work professionally for the next generation of Argentine athletes. I dreamed of being part of a sports planning process that would lead to an Olympic medal. This aspiration led me to join the Ente Nacional de Alto Rendimiento Deportivo (ENARD), the organization responsible for supporting the sports planning of Argentina’s top athletes.

Ricardo Rio (left), José Torres (right)

José Torres, BMX Freestyle

In 2018, I met José Torres, a BMX Freestyle cyclist. An urban, extreme, and highly risky discipline, BMX Freestyle was a new addition to the Olympic competition calendar. That year, as I turned 50, I wanted to gift myself the Speedmaster Professional “Sapphire Sandwich,” an exquisite watch that would accompany me for the rest of my life, beyond the other Speedies in my collection. I purchased it at the Omega Boutique in Buenos Aires, where Marcelo and Magda provided exceptional service. Since then, my Speedy has been by my side during the most important moments of my daily life.

With my Speedy on my wrist, I watched José win his first Pan American medal at the Lima 2019 Games in Peru. My Speedmaster was with us during that first milestone of José’s career. At that point, José was already projecting as a candidate for great results. His sports planning was constantly evaluated, and precise adjustments to secure future outcomes were a fundamental part of my work. My greatest responsibility was ensuring José’s planning was as precise and effective as my Speedmaster in achieving great results.

Paris 2024

Throughout the journey to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, my Omega Speedmaster Sapphire Sandwich was always with me. It is true that when I travel abroad, I carry two watches — my Speedy and my Casio G-Shock as an alternative. On trips, regardless of the country, keeping a low profile to avoid unnecessary visibility and ensuring the durability of a watch in extreme situations are essential considerations. Austerity and prudence are critical to avoiding problems in unfamiliar or unsafe places.

Finally, José and I arrived in Paris. Although I had previously been in Châteauroux with the Olympic shooting team following Julián Gutierrez, our 10m Air Rifle finalist, José’s support was assured by his excellent and highly reliable coach, Dr. Maximiliano Benadia.

On July 30th, at Concorde 2, the qualifying round took place under very challenging weather conditions. Alongside the pressure of competition, temperatures at the competition park soared to nearly 45°C. The humidity and heat demanded careful hydration and minimized sun exposure. My Speedmaster perfectly timed each segment of the runs between ramps, ensuring the circuit was being completed within the planned times. This could only be done during the warm-up because, once the competitive phase began, my full attention would be devoted to providing personal, emotional, and technical support to the athlete.

Executing the plan

As part of a perfectly thought-out strategy, José performed only technical tricks and maneuvers during the qualification to secure a spot in the final. At no point did he reveal or execute the extreme tricks he planned for the following day. This strategy placed him in seventh position, keeping him out of the spotlight of other athletes, their coaches, and the media. The plan was to ensure qualification with minimal physical exertion and a low profile, directing the competitive pressure and universal attention elsewhere for the final.

After his qualification series, I was with José in the box while he changed. I remember the time perfectly because I had just checked my Speedmaster — it was 5:45 PM local time. At that moment, he asked me, “For tomorrow, I have two very different strategies. One, go out with difficult and technically complex tricks without reaching their maximum expression. This strategy ensures I finish both runs, although it risks not scoring enough points for the podium. The second is to execute an extreme first run, pushing the tricks and maneuvers to their limit, reaching heights of up to 10 meters. The risk with this strategy is that a fall, which is highly likely, could be catastrophic. Beyond the potential injury, I wouldn’t have the strength for a second run. But if things go well, a medal is possible.”

At that moment, a whirlwind of ideas and emotions surged through my mind — my experience as an athlete, my academic training, and the responsibilities that came with providing an appropriate response. My answer to José was crucial to supporting him correctly. Like my Omega Speedmaster during critical moments in its history, I faced an enormous challenge. My response was short and simple, aiming to ease the pressure or drama of the decision: “José, you did everything very well today. There’s no need to make rushed decisions. It’s time to recover. Rest your body and mind. Tomorrow, you’ll surely know what’s best.” And with that, he went to rest.

Olympic gold

The following day, Thursday, July 31st, was the most important day of my professional life in sports sciences. An athlete under my responsibility was a serious candidate for the Olympic podium, and everything hinged on the decision he would make.

We met in the box around 12:30 PM. The silence was a sign of respect for the concentration and focus directed at achieving a result. It was just Maxi, José, and me. José asked his coach to get him some fruit and water to stay nourished and hydrated during the event. I understood perfectly that he wanted to be alone with me. At that moment, José said, “I want your opinion. I’ve decided to make a very aggressive first run, aiming for extreme tricks at the highest possible altitude. This way, I’ll score the highest points possible, and the responsibility to surpass me will fall on the others. It’s true; it’s highly risky because a mistake would be fatal, but it’s the only way to win a medal.”

At that moment, I realized José wasn’t simply aiming for the podium — he was going for the gold medal. I was about to give the most important response of my professional life to an athlete. Now was not the time to sow doubts. I needed to support him in pursuing the ultimate achievement, with all the risks it entailed. So I said, “José, I support your decision. Whatever happens, you have my full support.” He replied, “That’s what I wanted to hear, Rio.”

The rest is history. José achieved Olympic gold, and my Speedmaster was prominently featured in the official broadcast on the Olympic Channel. I especially cherish the image of us sitting outside the stadium, awaiting the results. In the photo, I am visibly happy, with a clenched fist and my Speedy in the foreground as we were informed that José, based on his score, had already secured an Olympic podium spot.

Our passion for watches goes beyond their quality, beauty, or prestige. It’s not even about the brands we can afford. The passion and commitment to our watches can be valued in those unique moments in life — moments that mark us forever — when they faithfully accompany us. Of course, the only Olympic champion here is José Torres. However, being an intimate part of his team and having my Moonwatch by my side during his planning and competition process allows me, modestly, to say that my Speedmaster is also an Olympic champion.

You can follow Ricardo Rio here.