2023-08-04 20:00:53
Strength exercises, aerobic routines, coordination and lots of running. The Colombian bicyclist reaffirmed herself at the world top of the sport by winning gold at the 2023 Central American Games. She knows in detail her physical and mental preparation.
Last update: August 04, 2023
More than a decade after winning her first Olympic gold, Mariana Pajón’s career does not seem to slow down. In July 2023, she returned to say present, taking first place in the Central American and Caribbean Games held in El Salvador.
Another title that adds to his extensive record and keeps her on top facing paris 2024. Let’s see why the Colombian is the queen of BMX and how she trains for a new Olympic challenge.
Mariana Pajón and a new gold in BMX
If anyone knows what a gold medal weighs, it’s Mariana Pajón. The Colombian BMX cyclist accumulates dozens, including two Olympians, which positioned her as the most important athlete in the discipline. She now enjoys a new conquest: she was the winner in the BMX individual race of the Central American and Caribbean Games San Salvador 2023.
It is her third gold in this competition, which she had won in Mayagüez 2010 and Veracruz 2014. In this case, the preparation circuit for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is part of the quarterfinals that the Colombian will play. From the beginning to the end of the test, Pajón dominated the tracktaking a good distance from their rivals and comfortably reaching the goal.
It is clear that, despite not being 20 years old, the “atomic ant”, as it is known on the circuit, is in top form. In addition, he had already won the European Cup held in Turkey and the South American Games in Asunción 2022.
How does Mariana Pajón train to be the queen of BMX?
Mariana has shown great physical and mental strength throughout her career, as well as a natural talent that gives her speed, explosion and aggressiveness. However, her discipline is an extreme sport, which carries a constant risk of injuries, of which she was not exempt.
He has suffered 19 fractures in arms, knees, ankles, shoulders and hands. Although perhaps the most serious is the rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament that her knee suffered in 2018. This injury kept her away from the slopes for nine months, returning at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, where she won gold.
At this point in his career, Pajón bases his success on a strong technical and physical preparation, spending a lot of time riding the bike. The legend claimed that nutrition and recovery are critical to success. Let’s see how he distributes his training:
Tomorrow
He gets up at six in the morning and has a fruit salad and orange juice for breakfast. start with some stretching, 10 minute jog and jump rope.
Midday
The routine continues with a series of varied exercises, which includes strength, coordination and cardio training. Mariana shared various videos where she can be seen performing the following movements:
balance and plank squats side planks and supported elbows sit-ups aerobic and coordination routine jumps on one leg, tapping lifts with a kettlebell arm and back strength exercises with a pilates ball
Late night
After a lunch where, in general, you combine a protein food of your choice with a salad, continue your training on the bike. Mariana does small runs to keep fit and, if a competition is coming up, work your memory to know the track perfectly.
For an intense workout on the bike, practice a move known as a thrown sprint. It consists of riding the bicycle holding on to the window of a van. The vehicle generates the first impulse and, upon reaching a high speed, the cyclist detaches and continues the ride. sprint with great pedaling power.
This is a common exercise in BMX, where the maneuverability of the athlete at high speed is worked on.
A career with talent and dedication
Mariana Pajón is a legend of BMX, Colombia and sports in general. However, when she started, few people considered this discipline in her country, let alone women. So much so that, at the age of four, she had her first race on a circuit with older boys, as there were not enough girls.
From a very young age, she showed her innate talent: at the age of five she obtained her first national title and at nine her first international competition in a junior world championship. He “Bicycle Motocross», or BMX, a discipline within cycling that is practiced with bicycles crossbegan to have a lot of popularity in the 1980s.
Recently, in the 2008 Beijing Games, it entered as an Olympic sport. Almost next to the success of Mariana. From the next contest, London 2012, The Colombian conquered the world with gold, an achievement that she repeated in Rio 2016.
In addition, it accumulates dozens of BMX world championships and cups, as well as medals in South American, Central American, Pan American and Bolivarian Games.
Mariana Pajón: medals and achievements of a legend that goes for more
The queen of BMX earned that nickname based on numerous victories on all circuits of the discipline. Her medals, in London 2012 and Rio 2016, made her the first Latin American woman to win two Olympic golds in individual sports. In addition, he won the silver medal in Tokyo 2020, accumulates eight BMX world championships and 13 golds in the World Cup.
Mariana has promoted this discipline in her country, encouraging the construction of a supercross that bears his name. In addition, she is already a sports reference for the new generations. Despite being a legend, is still at the top and in full preparation towards Paris 2024where he will seek his third Olympic gold.
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