‘It’s not a disappointment, we expected more and we will do a review’: Ciro Solano, president of the Colombian Olympic Committee

Colombia ended his participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and in the environment of the Colombian Olympic Committee (COC) There is a perception that the performance had to be better because the statistics said so.

Ciro Solano is the president of the COC and he spoke clearly, without mincing words. He warned that although it is not a disappointment to get four medals and 14 diplomas, it is clearly not a disappointment, but more could have been done.

Under review

Solano took stock of THE TIME in which he noted that weights and wrestling responded and praised what gymnastics did.

He also pointed out that track cycling, athletics and boxing were sports that did not produce the expected results and assured that what happened in Paris will be evaluated.

Finally, he asked the national government not to cut the budget for Colombian sports, as he confirmed a few days ago. Ministry of Sport, Luz Cristina Lopez.

What is your assessment?

Based on the results of the previous year’s World Championships and the athletes’ rankings, we were expecting between seven and eight medals. It was not a dream, everything was analyzed and planned according to the options that had been studied.

That result did not occur.

Yes, that’s clear. We have a reserve. I think that sports like gymnastics are entering the historical medal table of the Games, wrestling is recovering its path and weightlifting is maintaining its potential in this kind of events.

What’s next?

We already know that the expected result did not occur, but we have seen that there is a reservation, that young athletes like Tatiana Renteria and Angel Barajas They are already Olympic medalists. We have to analyze what happened, but I think that Colombia has young athletes for the future. What happened is not a disappointment, but we will review it.

What is your idea?

We must continue to support sport. Everything could have been better, but just because some athletes have not achieved their goal does not mean we are going to stop supporting them. High-performance sport in the country must have great support.

What are the benefits of Olympic diplomas?

People say that they are of little use, but that is not true. That means that whoever wins it is among the eight best in the world, it says that this athlete can be a projection for the next events of the Olympic cycle and already for the Olympic Games. Los Angeles We can do a screening with them. These athletes must be part of the special program.

What are you satisfied with?

As I said, we had a medal count, but Barajas’ medal in gymnastics is a sensational one. We had him qualified for the final, nobody expected him to win a medal and he did, at just 17 years old.

What about the weights?

They always deliver and now even more so. William Peña, President of Fedepesas, told me 20 days ago that Mari Sanchez She was doing very well, she was going to be the surprise and look, she won a medal. And the other two were close.

What do you have in mind to review?

All athletes and Federations will be reviewed. One by one we will go to see what happened. We will make a very rigorous evaluation. Besides, it is our responsibility and we will publish this report in due time.

Which sports did not comply?

We expected more sports in the medals, but there are unforeseen circumstances. Because I know athletics, from the statistics and the results I’m talking about, we think that Flor Denis Ruiz was going to give us a medal. What happened to her is a sporting event. She had her day, but maybe the pressure affected her, even if it seems that it didn’t, but something happened, that wasn’t normal. Natalia Linares We believed in agreement with the marks he made and it could have been a surprise, but not.

And other sports?

We had high hopes for boxing, but we didn’t. Same with track cycling with Kevin Quinterokeirin world champion, and with Martha Bayonasilver medal in that same competition and I thought they could repeat those performances.

What is your opinion on the issue of the Ministry of Sport in this Olympic cycle?

What I ask of the national government is that they do not cut the sports budget. That would not be good for continuing with this process. Sports need that support and what they are going to take away from it is a considerable amount.

Lisandro Rengifo

Special correspondent from EL TIEMPO in Paris

@lisandroabel