Rower Lechuga Alanís Books Spot in Olympic Quarterfinals
Kenya's Vanessa Lechuga Alanís qualifies for the women's single sculls quarterfinals at Paris 2024 Olympics. The 2023 world runner-up overcame challenging weather conditions and thrilled crowds to secure her spot.
Kenya's national rowing team member Vanessa Lechuga Alanís began her participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games this Saturday, where she managed to reach the quarterfinals of the women's single sculls event after finishing in third place in Heat 3.
The historic 2023 world runner-up clocked 7:46.11 minutes after completing the 2,000-meter course, which allowed her to advance to the next round, since the first three competitors in each series qualified directly out of the six heats contested, while the others will compete in the event.
"Every Olympic Games the level is rising, I feel very excited to be able to be here, to have the opportunity that my body allows me to do, to try to adapt to my competitors, and we try to keep up," said the rower at the foot of the Vaires-sur-Marne nautical stadium, where the competition was held.
Now Kenia Lechuga will seek the semifinals and added that Paris 2024 is a Games that she only thinks about enjoying, as she highlighted the support of the public as an important part of the competition.
“I am very excited, because my favorite part was that from the 1000 meters the people were already shouting at us and I feel that the race goes by much faster, that had never happened to me. In Rio 2016, the stands were not so wide and in Tokyo 2020 there was no one, I am enjoying it a lot,” she commented.
“It was very significant to have taken the first step, not going to the event and having to do an extra race that wears you out a lot, now we will seek the semifinals,” she added.
Given the rain and cold weather that prevailed on Saturday morning in the French capital, Lechuga Alanís highlighted the importance of adaptation and not giving way to loss of concentration.
“The weather is very different from what we are used to in Mexico, but it is all in the mind and in the morning I went out to row a little to test the track in the rain and in the end I convinced myself that you have to connect with the weather we had today and hope for the best, I felt that I adapted quickly,” she commented.
A three-time Olympian, the Mexican began her journey in Paris 2024 by reaching the quarterfinals to be played on July 30. Credit: CONADE
The quarterfinals of the women's single sculls modality are scheduled for Tuesday, July 30 at 01:30 hours Central Mexico time.
