By Miguel Rapetti
22 Jul 2024, 23:42 PM EDT
The president of the National Commission for Physical Culture and Sports (Conade), Ana Guevara, said on Monday that they hope that the delegation that will attend the Paris 2024 Olympic Games can return home with nine medals, seeking to equal their historic record of 56 years ago.
In a press conference with the media on Monday, Guevara explained that he believes that the level of the athletes that make up the delegation is high and will allow them to fight to at least match the performance that the nation had in 1968 when they were the hosts in the Olympic event.
“I’m not mediocre when it comes to betting on results. As an athlete, I was positive and now we’re betting on nine medals, the historic achievement of Mexico 1968,” said the winner of the 400 metres at the World Athletics Championships in Paris 2003 and also Olympic runner-up.
Guevara recalled that his country had its best performances last year at the Central American and Caribbean Games, which it won, and at the Pan American Games, and now it is arriving in good condition for Paris, with a healthy and well-prepared team.
“Our strength lies in the same disciplines in which we have always made history, but there may be surprises that I do not want to reveal in advance so as not to create pressure; the diving, archery, synchronized swimming, modern pentathlon and other sports teams are strong,” he noted.
Guevara also recalled that the atmosphere of victory is contagious at the Olympics and considered it important for Mexico to start winning medals in the first week so that this influences the delegation’s favor.
According to the retired athlete, the Conade, which she presides, and the Olympic Committee have reached an agreement after a long period of power disputes and the atmosphere is good less than a week before the start of the Games.
“The dialogue with the Olympic Committee is smooth, there is no situation that generates bitterness,” he said.
Mexico won four bronze medals at the last Olympic Games in Tokyo and now has a delegation of 109 competitors that includes a mix of youngsters and veterans, including some world and Olympic medalists.
“We are certain that the team is capable of competing; this moment will mark a before and after,” he concluded.
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