Mexico Para Rowing Team Secures Paris 2024 Spot

The para rowing team achieved the feat and obtained a quota for Mexico to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, after winning the first places in two categories, in the Olympic and Paralympic Qualifying Regatta of the Americas 2024, which was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a competition they attended with the support of the National Commission of Physical Culture and Sport (CONADE).

Thus, for the second time, our country will be represented in the Paralympic Games for rowing, after the historic ticket obtained by Michel Muñoz in Tokyo 2020.

The competition in Brazil only awarded Paralympic passes to the first places in each category and only one place per country, so Mexico will have to assign the place to one of the two winning boats. After the competitions, it was announced that the place will be ratified in April.

Mexico's Michel Muñoz Malagón won the gold medal in the final A of the PR1 M1x category with a time of 10:34.63 minutes. Second place went to Pedro Lescano of Uruguay, with 12.32.44 minutes, while Canadian Jacob Wasserman took third place with a time of 12:45.60 minutes.

“I am very happy to having obtained the first place in the Qualifying Regatta, it was a very hard race, with a very strong headwind, a difficult course, but we gave one hundred percent as always, carrying the colors of my Mexican flag, happy to have this gold medal and now to wait for the South American Championship and the election that Mexico will make to obtain the place”, shared Michel Muñoz to CONADE, at the end of his awarding.

The mixed duo, formed by Ángeles Brittany Gutiérrez Vieyra and Miguel Ángel Nieto Carpio, won the gold metal in the PR3 Mix2x category, with a time of 9:47.63 minutes. Second place went to Argentina, with 10:12.56 and third place went to Ecuador with 11:52.38 minutes.

“The competition was very tough; the whole time we had the wind against us, but we held on and despite not being used to rowing in waves, we managed to win. We are just waiting for the decision of the (Mexican Rowing) Federation to know which boat will go to Paris 2024.

I think that both Michel's work and ours was very good, I wish we were both boats, but rules are rules; regardless of the decision, I feel very happy, to hear the anthem on a podium was one of my dreams and I already fulfilled it, now I have to fulfill the Paralympic Games,” said Miguel Nieto to CONADE.

“It was an incredible experience, unexpected things happened; first an oar of another team broke, and the race was spent at the end of all competitions, we had an hour of waiting and, at the start, there is a lane invasion of Argentina's team, and we had to stop and restart again, but we stayed focused at all times and I think that was a decisive factor in today's race,” Brittany Gutierrez told CONADE.

“We went out strong and were able to stay in the lead at all times, the boat was going in total sync and that feeling has been astounding. When we finished, I couldn't believe it, it was very exciting; I feel totally grateful for everything that life has given me, this is an experience that will remain engraved in my mind and heart forever, it is one of the most exciting and great moments I have lived. This gold means a lot of effort and dedication, I am very happy about the result,” said Gutierrez Vieyra.

The para rowing team, led by national coach Alejandra Menzi, will stay in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to compete in the South American Championship, to be held from March 18 to 21, in the same venue.