The 29-year-old walker from Pereira, Sandra Lorena Arenas, managed to get a place for the next 2024 Paris Olympic Games after reaching second place in the Asian 20-kilometer Walk Championship, which was held in Nomi, Japan.
The athlete became the first athlete from Colombia to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, which are scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11 of next year in the French capital, after achieving a mark of 1:28 :02 during the championship.
“I want to share my happiness to be once again the first Colombian athlete to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with a time of 1 hour 28 minutes and 2 seconds, in a 20-kilometer walk, with a new national record,” Arenas posted on his social networks.
«Thanks to my coach Brent Vallance, the work team and my family. I love you and I hope my fellow athletes are motivated to qualify as well. Paris awaits us”, concluded the Risaraldense athlete after this important victory.
For its part, the Ministry of Sports reported, “Colombia with a ticket to Paris 2024! Lorena Arenas qualified her for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, in the Asian 20km Walk Championship, in Nomi. She finished with a time of 1:28.02, a national record. A clear demonstration of resilience and sheer determination.”
The 29-year-old from Pereira will play her fourth Olympic jousts. In London 2012 he was ranked 29th and in Rio de Janeiro 2016 he was in box number 32, while in Tokyo 2021 he achieved second place, thus achieving the silver medal, being the only medal in this sport for Colombia, the first South American in get on the podium and medal number five in athletics for the country.