Mexican Walkers Target Paris 2024
Mexico's walking dominance continues! Athletes target Olympic spots as the legendary Mexican walk returns to the world stage.
The Mexican walk. It's got swagger. It's got an attitude. It's got medals, a whole bunch of them if recent World Championship history is any indication. And guess what? It's baaaack. After a brief hiatus from Olympic competition, the Mexican walk is returning to the world's biggest stage, and the nation's athletes are already strutting their stuff on the road to Paris 2024.
This past Saturday, in the quaint Slovakian town of Dudince, a entire crew of Mexican walkers turned heads at the 43rd edition of the “Dudinska 50”. Leading the way were U-20 world champion Sofía Elizabeth Ramos Rodríguez and Tokyo 2020 Olympian Ilse Ariadna Guerrero Rodarte. These two are on a mission – to absolutely smash the 1:29:20 time needed to qualify for the women's 20-kilometer walk in Paris.
Thing is, Mexico's got a thing for this walking stuff. Their recent dominance at the U-20 level is mind-blowing. Alegna González, Sofía Ramos, Ximena Serrano – they've hoarded the last three world championship titles. So, this new generation of walkers like Ramos and Guerrero are stepping into some mighty big shoes.
But what IS the Mexican walk? Okay, I'll admit there's no secret sauce or magical training technique. These athletes work crazy hard, plain and simple. Still, they bring something else to the track – a whole lot of personality. Maybe it's in those fluid hips or that defiant tilt of the chin…there's a style here. It's like they're saying, “Yeah, we're walking. And yeah, we're going to leave you in the dust.”
The Walkers to Watch
Back in Dudince, Ramos and Guerrero weren't alone. Mexico also sent its U-20 crew – Emiliano Barba Iñiguez, Oscar Jafet Bocanegra Huerta, Ashly Guadalupe Santiago Francisco, and Renata Cortés Romero. These young talents, hot off fresh wins at the CONADE Nationals, are getting an incredible early taste of elite competition. It's smart – they're primed for greatness as future contenders at the World Championships.
This complete resurgence of Mexican walking talent isn't just luck. The National Commission of Physical Culture and Sports (CONADE) is backing them big-time. The Dudinska 50 was part of that, a strategic move to expose these athletes to the pressure of a world-class event. It's all those little things – funding, support, opportunities – that make champions.
Mexico's legacy of walking excellence continues as a new generation of athletes, supported by CONADE, take on the world. Credit: CONADE
So, will we see Ramos and Guerrero at the Paris Olympics? It's too early to say for sure, but you bet they're aiming for it. The Mexican walk is once again on a collision course with international glory. Let's be honest, the world of sports is infinitely more interesting when there's a little of that Mexican spice in the mix.
