The Olympic Games in Paris 2024 have begun, and Mexican athletes have already made their mark across various disciplines. Here’s a breakdown of how Team Mexico fared on the opening day, showcasing both triumphs and setbacks.
Fencing: Gibrán Zea Shows Fighting Spirit in Sabre
Gibrán Zea started his Paris 2024 campaign in men’s sabre with a thrilling victory. Despite a slow start against Mohammad Fotouhi of Iran, Zea demonstrated resilience, turning the tide in the final moments to win 15-13 and advance to the Round of 32. However, his Olympic journey concluded later in the day with a defeat against Sandro Bazadze of Georgia, losing 15-6. While the elimination is a disappointment, Zea’s initial comeback victory highlighted his competitive spirit on the Olympic stage.
Rowing: Kenia Lechuga Advances to Quarterfinals
In women’s individual rowing, Kenia Lechuga secured her spot in the quarterfinals. Lechuga finished third in Heat 3 with a time of 7 minutes, 46 seconds, and 0.11 milliseconds. This performance allowed her to directly advance, avoiding the repechage round. “It was important to qualify directly and avoid the repechage, which is an extra race that wears you out a lot. Now, to look for the next step, which is the semifinals,” Lechuga stated to CONADE, expressing her focus on further progress in the competition. Her next race is scheduled for June 30th.
Swimming: Disqualification Mars Miguel de Lara’s Debut
Miguel de Lara experienced a bittersweet Olympic debut in the 100m breaststroke. The Mexican swimmer finished second in Heat 2, but his joy was short-lived as he was disqualified shortly after exiting the pool. De Lara expressed his frustration and confusion to ESPN, stating, “I am very angry and upset; confused, I don’t understand why. I replay the race in my head. Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong.” The disqualification marks a tough start for de Lara in his Olympic campaign.
Canoe Slalom: Sofía Reinoso Looks to Kayak Revancha
Sofía Reinoso participated in the canoe slalom event, Round 1 and 2, finishing in 25th place overall. Her first run scored 122.40 points, placing her 24th. She improved in the second run with 120.93 points but remained in the last position of the round (25th), preventing her advancement to the semifinals. Despite not progressing further, Reinoso acknowledged the significance of her Olympic qualification. “I have mixed feelings. Getting a pass to the Olympics is not easy. Being here is difficult, I know that being among the top 25 in the world is not just anything, but I also know that I want more, I would have liked to do more,” Reinoso commented after her performance. She also mentioned feeling the support of the crowd and giving her all despite challenging weather conditions like rain and cold.
Table Tennis: Marcos Madrid Eliminated
Marcos Madrid, representing Mexico in table tennis, concluded his participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics. He faced a tough opponent in Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov, losing 4-0 in the South Paris Arena. This defeat marks the end of Madrid’s Olympic journey in this edition of the Games.
Surfing: Alan Cleland Advances to Second Round
In a positive turn for Mexican surfing, Alan Cleland secured a place in the second round of the competition. Cleland finished second in the first heat with a score of 14.34 points in the waves of Tahiti. He is set to compete again tomorrow in the second stage of his Olympic debut, carrying hopes for further success in the surfing events.
This initial day at the Paris 2024 Olympics presented a mix of outcomes for Mexican athletes. While some celebrated advancements, others faced early exits and disappointments. The Games are just beginning, and Mexican fans will be eagerly watching to see how their athletes perform in the competitions to come.
