Carbonell chose artistic swimming as it combined the artistic elements of gymnastics with swimming. She trains with CN Sabadell in Spain and is coached by Mayuko Fujiki and Juan Jose Andujar. Her rigorous training regime includes up to 10 hours a day, six days a week, at the High Performance Centre in Sant Cugat, Spain.

One of her most memorable achievements is winning silver in the duet event at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. She also received the Gold and Diamonds Badge of the Spanish Swimming Federation in 2019 and the Silver Medal of the Royal Order of Sports Merit in Spain in 2013. Additionally, she was named Catalan Female Athlete of the Year in 2013 and 2017.

Personal Life and Interests

Carbonell resides in Barcelona with her partner Pablo Ibanez and their son Kai, born in 2020. She speaks Catalan, English, and Spanish fluently. Apart from her athletic career, she has a keen interest in cooking and won Celebrity Master Chef Spain in 2018.

She has also ventured into the gastronomy industry as an advisor for a Japanese restaurant in Madrid. Carbonell designs seasonal dishes alongside the restaurant's executive chef, contributing her creative ideas and experiences from her travels.

Books and Training Camps

In 2016, Carbonell released a book titled 'Three Minutes, Forty Seconds', detailing her life as an athlete. The title refers to the length of her duet routine at the 2012 Olympics. In 2019, she published another book titled 'Elena Sirena', a series of short stories for children based on her life experiences.

She also runs Campus Ona Carbonell, an artistic swimming training camp in La Garriga, Spain. The camp attracts girls aged six to 17 from around the world who are eager to learn from her experiences.

Motherhood and Return to Sport

Carbonell became a mother for the first time in 2020 and resumed training shortly after giving birth. She was part of the Spanish artistic swimming team that competed at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. She views this quick return as both a sports challenge and a personal one.

Support from Coaches

Carbonell credits much of her success to her coach Mayuko Fujiki. She describes Fujiki as demanding yet supportive, ensuring that every step taken is calculated and beneficial for the team. Carbonell feels very supported by her team and considers it the best she has ever been part of.

Ona Carbonell continues to inspire many with her dedication to artistic swimming and her ventures outside the pool. Her journey reflects a blend of athletic excellence and personal growth, making her a prominent figure in sports.