Some good, some bad and a bit of surprise and sadness. That’s how the Colombian delegation’s day in Paris 2024 can be summed up this Thursday. The best thing was Sandra Lorena Arenas’ fourth place in the 20 km race walk, the boxer’s option Ingrit Valencia to go for the victory that will give him the opportunity to secure the bronze medal and qualification for the BMX semi-finals of Mariana Pajón, Gabriela Bollé, Mateo Carmona and Diego Arboleda, in BMX.
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Bad luck was experienced by boxer Jenny Arias, who fell in boxing and, once again, as happened in Tokyo, was one win away from going for bronze, but also announced her retirement. And Carlos Ramírez, who was a clear candidate in BMX to win a medal, had to go to the repechage, but he fell and was eliminated. In addition, he fractured his left hand.
Jenny Arias, Colombian boxer at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
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Valencia defeated Australian Monique Suraci and is now in the quarterfinals of the 50-kilo category of the boxing tournament. Not only does she qualify for that stage, but she also secured at least an Olympic diploma, but she can go further. With one more win, the 35-year-old from Cauca will secure bronze.
The boxer won that medal in Rio 2016, and in Tokyo she came close to repeating it. In the first round she defeated Yesugen Oyuntsetseg, from Mongolia, and now she will face the Kazakh Nazym Kyzaibay, from Colombia, tomorrow at 9:30 am.
“Here comes the best of each country, the Australian is one of the best of her continent and she was waiting for me, she was well planted in the ring, but I gave my best. Thank God, we are going step by step,” said Valencia.
Ingrit Valencia in the 50kg boxing match at the 2024 Olympic Games.
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Arenas was unable to get on the podium after finishing in fourth place. He had just won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, but this time he was unable to do so. His rivals forced the pace with eight kilometres to go and although he remained in the medal race, he did not respond in the final stretch.
Gold went to China’s Jiayu Yang, with a time of one hour, 27 minutes and 03 seconds, followed by Spain’s Martha Pérez, while bronze went to Australia’s Jemima Montag.
Sandra Arenas’ time was one hour, 27 minutes and 03 seconds, which means she broke the national record for the distance. “For me it is a gold medal because everything that has happened makes me understand that I am doing things well and makes me keep fighting for the next competition,” said Arenas.
Pajón and Bollé secured their place in the BMX semi-finals in a very difficult day, as they had to achieve their goal in the last final exam: the repechage, while Mateo Carmona and Diego Arboleda did secure their classification directly. “The race took me by surprise. I have to believe in myself tomorrow and I hope that this experience will help me. Physically I am fine, but I have to think about doing better, moving better on the track,” said Pajón.
Bye
After losing to Korean Aeji Im in the 54-kilogram boxing match at Paris 2024, Colombian Jenny Arias announced her retirement from the sport. Arias once again lost the chance to secure the bronze medal, after losing 3-2 in a very close fight. “I don’t have the head to analyze the fight. What I say is that this is my retirement, regardless of what happened, I have thought about it and I want to dedicate myself to God and my family,” said the boxer, who won an Olympic diploma. She added: “These were going to be my last Olympics and I knew I had to make the decision. It hurts me a lot to lose, it hurts me to disappoint a country, a family.”
Luisa Blanco will compete this Thursday.
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Luisa Blanco finished 23rd in the individual all-around final with 50.199 points, an event in which American Simone Biles took gold with 59.131 points, Brazilian Rebeca Andrade took silver with 57.932 points and bronze went to Sumisa Lee (USA), with 56.465 points.
Santiago Arcila reached a historic quarter-final in the individual archery event, after beating Pit Klein (Luxembourg) 6–4 and Dan Olaru (Moldova) 6–2.
Jorge Enriquez reached the second round and was defeated by Mexican Matias Grande 6-2. Ana Maria Rendon faced Taiwanese Chien-Ying Lei, who eliminated her with a global score of 7-1.
In golf, the two Colombians had a bad day: Nicolás Echavarría shot 74 (+3) and is 53 out of 60 participants. Camilo Villegas is last, with 76 (+5). The leader is the Japanese Hideki Matsuyama, with 63 (-9).
LYSANDRO RENGIFO
Special correspondent for EL TIEMPO in Paris*
*Invited by the Colombian Olympic Committee
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