The Colombian delegation that will take part in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, which will be inaugurated next Wednesday, has in Paula Osa and Carlos Daniel Serrano to two of its great figures.
According to the criteria of
Ossa, in Paracycling, and Serrano, in Paraswimming, are candidates to be protagonists in the competitions in which the country will have 78 athletes competing.
Both athletes told THE TIME the expectations and objectives they have for these Games.
‘I want to be on the podium’: Ossa
Is being the flag bearer an added responsibility?
More than a great responsibility, it is feeling that we are the representation of all the Paralympic athletes who qualified for Paris 2024 and those who are supporting us from Colombia. It is truly an honor to be able to carry and carry this flag with Carlos Daniel Serrano, who is a great athlete, world multi-medalist and Paralympian. The idea is always that we are known for our color, for our joy, for what really characterizes us as Colombians.
What are your goals in Paris?
Doing these unforgettable races is really about giving your heart, soul and body to the track and the road, and obviously as athletes we always want to win, to be on the podium, leaving Colombia always at the top, and that will always be the idea. I want to get on the podium.
Do you have an estimate of medals?
It is difficult to talk about this before the competition, that has already happened to me and I just hope that we can win not only in paracycling, but in all the sports that we come to represent Colombia.
What does it have in its favor?
These are my second Paralympic Games, but I think I’m going to experience them as if they were my first. Being able to be in the Paralympic Village is a very nice experience and for me it’s an achievement, it’s a goal reached, that in itself is already a gain and that experience will help me.
What will be the key in the games?
As an athlete, I have always wanted to attend the Olympic and Paralympic Games, because for me it is the biggest and most important event that an athlete can attend, since the best from each country go, therefore the best in the world are competing and representing their country. It is clear that the key is not to neglect yourself, to be focused all the time and to bring out my strengths in the events.
‘Winning gold medals is my goal’
Do you have a clear goal in mind?
These are my third Paralympic Games, having won gold in Rio and Tokyo. It would be a challenge to repeat the feat. I would be the first athlete in Colombia to win three gold medals in three different Paralympics.
Do you see it as viable?
We have worked very hard and we have some big events in which we can try, such as the 100-meter breaststroke, 200-meter medley, 50-meter freestyle and 50-meter butterfly. We have several options and we are going to give our best in each one of them.
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Is being a standard-bearer a step up?
It is a great responsibility for an athlete. I am very proud to represent all my teammates by carrying the Colombian flag to an entire country. And the truth is I am very happy and proud to be the flag bearer.
Are you concerned that you have changed categories?
I won’t be in the C7, I’m going to swim my main event and a tough event in the S8 category, but we’ve worked very hard to be able to, first of all, qualify, and we’re not among the best in the world, so we’re going to swim in a category that’s a little more difficult and complicated, but we’ve also worked hard
and we know that we’re great athletes.
What’s different about the Paris Games?
I am an athlete with much more competitive experience, with clear goals, with a clear focus. You could say that I have worked very hard, that I have tried harder and harder. Each time there have been more years of training that we have added to our sports history, with great achievements in the process.
Lisandro Rengifo
Sports editor at EL TIEMPO
@lisandroabel
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