Mexico Medal Haul Above Expectations at Paris Olympics
Mexico shines at Paris Olympics, surpassing medal count from Tokyo. Archery, judo, diving, and boxing deliver historic wins. Athletes like Valencia, Awiti, Olvera, and Verde lead the charge.
With two silver medals, one bronze and another confirmed with a color yet to be defined, the Mexican delegation competing in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games has already surpassed the Tokyo 2020 harvest, an edition of the great event in which four third-place medals were obtained.
Improving the record achieved in Asian territory was possible thanks to four different disciplines: archery, judo, diving and boxing. In addition, it should be noted that there are still seven days of competition left in the summer competition, so it is also latent to leave behind what was achieved during Rio 2016 (three silver and two bronze).
It all started in the “City of Light” with the third place on the podium for the women's archery team, made up of Alejandra Valencia (double Olympic medalist), Ana Paula Vázquez and Ángela Ruiz, who not only took charge of giving the inaugural medal in this event, but also of a historic medal as it was the first for the country in this modality of archery, since it had already been won individually (London 2012) and by mixed teams (Tokyo 2020).
Then it was the turn of the judoka Prisca Awiti, who against all odds made it to the final of the -63 kilogram category after beating top-level rivals such as the Polish Angelika Szymanska, current world runner-up and fourth in the world ranking. The Mexican mother and Kenyan father could not be crowned, but her medal was also historic as it was the first for Aztec Olympic judo.
With the label of candidates to win a medal, Osmar Olvera and Juan Celaya appeared on the three-meter springboard for the synchronized diving test. Their start was not as expected, but they recovered with the passage of their executions until reaching the last one, which was close to perfection and left the Chinese Daoyi Long and Zongyuan speechless.
Wang, who would ultimately win the gold with 446.10 points, compared to the 444.03 of the Mexicans, according to the judges in charge of grading the test.
Boxer Marco Verde Álvarez, who arrived at the Olympic competition as the new Central American and Pan American champion, was responsible for successfully closing the first Mexican week in Paris, since he won two fights and qualified for the semifinals of the 71 kilogram category to secure at least the bronze, although the color of his metal can still be painted gold or silver if he advances to the grand final of his division.
For the final stretch of the grand event, the national harvest of medals has its hopes placed on taekwondo with Carlos Sansores (three-time world medalist) and Daniela Souza (fifth in the world ranking); in the modern pentathlon with the flag bearer and world runner-up, Emiliano Hernández; as well as Osmar Olvera himself in the individual event. Mexico will also be a contender in the mixed relay of walking, made up of Alegna González and Ever Palma.
Mexico surpasses in Paris 2024 its medal haul in Tokyo 2020. The Mexican contingent has won two silvers and one bronze, in addition to having secured at least another third place, still with seven days left in the Olympic Games. Credit: CONADE
The National Center for the Development of Sports Talents and High Performance (CNAR) is the place where these Olympic medalists and candidates to be so prepared not only for their participation in Paris 2024, but in the entire cycle leading up to the summer event, except for Prisca Awiti, who perfected her skills in Villas Tlalpan, a complex also belonging to the National Commission for Physical Culture and Sports (CONADE).
