The powerful Colombian BMX team begins its participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games tournament with great expectations of a medal. The group is led by those already consecrated in this type of competition, Mariana Pajon and Carlos Ramirez.
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Between the two of them, Colombia has a record of achievements, having won five medals, of which Pajón has won two golds and one silver, while Ramírez has won two bronzes. The other medal was won by Carlos Mario Oquendo, in London 2012when he achieved third place.
(2024 Olympic Games: Queen Saray Villegas, sensational in the BMX Freestyle final, close to bronze)
Strong team
Mariana Pajón carries a heavy cross, all eyes are on her and the country hopes that, as happened when she won gold in 2012 and 2016 and silver in Tokyo 2021, this time she will return to the podium, although it may not be so clear.
The experienced runner told TIME that this qualification for Paris was difficult, that he had several problems, but that he hopes that on the track everything will change and does not rule out winning a medal.
“One is competitive, one puts pressure on oneself, but it is different, because reality is different. It is what it is. Life changes, each Olympic cycle has been different. The body is unforgiving, you carry the previous injuries, it is different, but I also have more experience, more maturity, to value the most important things. Now one enjoys different things. In London I was surprised by many things, but now things are different,” he said.
And he added: “In the BMX Anything can happen. The goal is to reach the final and anything can happen there. You have to get through the two days of competition and watch.”
He wants the gold
Ramírez seems to have a clearer path, at least that is what can be deduced from what he has said in recent weeks.
From left to right: Vincent Pelluard (Second), Diego Arboleda (Champion) and Carlos Ramírez (Third).
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“I want to arrive in a very good sporting moment to face this new challenge. The Olympic dream is the most important thing and being a champion is what one fights for, struggles, sacrifices and trains hard for. I already know what it is like to be on the podium, but one always wants more,” he said.
Colombia is not just Pajón and Ramírez in BMX. Gabriela Bolé, Mateo Carmona and Diego Arboleda They complement the Colombian team, which will be in the quarter-finals today and, if they qualify, will face the semi-finals and final on Friday.
Arboleda, from Girardota, Antioquia, who will turn 28 in 15 days, can make a big splash and climb onto the podium.
Colombia is one of the few countries that will have the maximum number of athletes: five, and that must be highlighted. “There is no group like that in the world and there is one in Colombia. What we need to do is convince ourselves that we have more than many believe and leave behind those egos and that lack of tolerance between the actors to understand that if everything is added together, the results would be much greater,” Germán Medina, who was the coach of this group in the previous cycle and now coaches the United States team, told EL TIEMPO.
Lisandro Rengifo
Sent by EL TIEMPO to Paris
@lisandroabel
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