TORREJON DE ARDOZ (Rio 2016 Olympic Games) - Heissler Guillent is among Venezuela's 26 players that traveled to Spain to start preparing for the 2016 South American Championship and the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The point guard, who is recovering from a Achilles tendon injury, has not given up on his dream of representing his country on the Olympic stage.

Of course I'm still dreaming of being present at the Olympic Games and I visualize myself in Rio de Janeiro. That gives me even more motivation. - Guillent

The last image we all have of the 1.83m guard playing for his country is a memorable one, as he celebrated becoming 2015 FIBA Americas champion and being selected to the All-Star Five on the back of his fantastic performances in Mexico City.

However, an injury to his Achilles tendon during his participation in the Venezuelan Professional League sidelined him but he is now in the final stage of his recovery process.

"I'm recovering pretty well, going through the stage of strengthening my leg, because the operation left me with a lot of muscle weakness. I'm working on the last stages of my rehabilitation," Guillent told FIBA.com.

"My tendon is healed perfectly. I just have to strengthen my leg and with the training I am doing, it will start adapting to the physical activity again. The doctors are very positive and tell me that soon I can be ready to compete. Meanwhile, I continue to train and improve to get back into the court."

Although he had been practicing separately from the national team, Guillent this week traveled to begin the team's preparations for the 2016 South American Championship that will take place in Venezuela's capital city of Caracas from 26 June-2 July.

But the ultimate objective for the Venezuelans will be Rio 2016, a dream that serves as an impetus for Guillent to recover and return in time to play at the Olympics.

"Of course I'm still dreaming of being present at the Olympic Games and I visualize myself in Rio de Janeiro. That gives me even more motivation."

As the player himself admitted, Venezuelan basketball lives with great enthusiasm what will be their second Olympic participation, something that marks the importance for the sport in the country.

"Venezuelans are very attentive to our participation in the Olympic Games. All the people I know talk to me about the competition, including my friends from abroad," said Guillent. "Our participation in the Games will be very important for the Venezuelan sport. It will provide motivation and inspiration to young people who play basketball and other sports that will not be there."

At Rio 2016, Venezuela have been drawn in Group A, where they will face the USA, Australia, China and two of the three winners of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (OQTs).

"It's a very strong group as expected since it's the Olympic Games, where one faces the best teams of the world," reasoned Guillent. "It will be a very tough tournament. That makes it an interesting challenge."

FIBA