The Antioquian Mariana Pajón is one of the historical references of Colombian sports.
Photo: AFP – PABLO VERA
Amid strict security measures, the 2024 Olympic Games will be inaugurated this Friday, the most important sporting event of the year. For 19 days, the French capital will host 10,500 athletes from 206 countries, as well as coaches, officials, support staff, journalists, and millions of fans.
One of the sports that generates the most excitement among Colombian fans is BMX Racing, a discipline that has Mariana Pajón as a reference. The Antioquian aims for her fourth Olympic medal after winning two golds (London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016) and a silver (Tokyo 2020).
Pajón is not the only Colombian who will compete in the women’s BMX. Paris 2024 will be the debut of Gabriela Bolle, who was born in Florencia (Caquetá), but has represented the Atlantic department in sports. She comes off winning a bronze medal at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.
In the men’s division, Colombia will have three representatives: Carlos Ramírez, Diego Arboleda, and Mateo Carmona, all of them from Antioquia. Ramírez is the only one who has won medals at the Olympics, with two bronzes (Rio de Janeiro 2016 and Tokyo 2020).
When do Mariana Pajón and the other Colombian BMX riders compete in Paris 2024?
Next Thursday, August 1, starting at 1:00 p.m. (local time), the quarterfinals of BMX Racing will take place in both divisions. The men will go first, followed by the women (1:20 p.m.). The top-ranked cyclists will secure their spots directly in the semifinals.
The losers of this round will compete starting at 3:05 p.m. in the Last Chance race. The best from this “play-off” round will join the lineup competing for a medal the following day.
Both the men’s and women’s divisions will know their Olympic champions on August 2. The men’s semifinals will kick off at 1:00 p.m., followed approximately 15 minutes later by the women’s semifinals.
The men’s final is scheduled for 2:35 p.m., while the women’s will take place at 2:50 p.m. The competitions will be held at the BMX stadium in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, part of the Paris metropolitan area.
🚴🏻⚽🏀 The latest in sports?: Everything you need to know about world sports is in El Espectador