Lack of coaches and technology keeps sprinters behind

Only a handful of athletes specialized in sprint athletics have stood out in Mexico. A few names that, despite the lag in this discipline, have managed to make their way to countries whose prominence makes them world powers.

They can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Ana Guevara in 400 meters, Juan Pedro Toledo (200), Alejandro Cárdenas (400) and, in recent years, Paola Morán and Cecilia Tamayo, among others, represent the limited participation of our country on an international scale.

Although the specialty has achieved some important achievements such as reaching the podium at the Pan American Games, the possibility of winning a world or Olympic medal again still seems like a utopia.

We are not stagnant, the discipline has developed a lot in recent years, but the truth is that our level is still low to compete with the great powersrecognizes Tamayo, who represented our country in the 100 and 200 meter events during the recent Paris Olympic Games.

The work must be redoubled with the support of the authorities, it is a team effort.

Unlike countries like the United States, Bahamas and Jamaica, Mexico lacks the cutting-edge technology necessary to develop sprinters. But it is not only a matter of lag in this matter, the discipline in our country does not even have enough coaches to direct the talents in training.

In world competitions, runners can be observed using sophisticated devices that allow them to know variations in heart rate, energy expenditure, and blood lactic acid levels, among other records that help them improve their performance in a very specific way.

Tamayo’s reality is different from that of the runners who prepare in Mexico. She has been training for nine years in Houston under the watchful eye of an athletics legend, Carl Lewis, known as the son of the windwinner of 10 Olympic medals. The athlete who shone in Los Angeles 1984 and Barcelona 1992 is responsible for the development program to which the tricolor runner, who was born in 1997, in León, Guanajuato, belongs.

More investment

We require support from the authorities because many times we have to get the budget out of our own pockets. Competing abroad requires an investment, but it is worth it because you face the best in your event.Cecilia added.

For this reason, the few achievements in speed among the elite stand out as exceptional. Ana Guevara was the first and paralyzed the country at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, where she won a silver medal. That was an event because a Mexican had never attended a summer date as a favorite in this type of test. Before, in the 1999 World Cup in Seville, Alejandro Cárdenas achieved third place. They represent the best results in speed that Mexico has.

Everything takes a process, it’s not about thinking about crossing in first place or the medals. In my case, I like to watch my times and know that if I achieve my personal best, it will help me achieve my goals.Tamayo explained.

As a sprinter you have to know that you not only compete against your rivals, but also against yourself.

Recently, Luis Avilés won a historic silver medal in the 400 meters at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago and the men’s 4×400 relay was very close to earning his ticket to the Paris Olympics.

I was fortunate enough to be responsible for my country returning to the Games after many years (more than half a century, since there had been no participation since Mexico 1968) we must not lose that inertia in the face of Los Angeles 2028. I think it is possible achieve new and more ambitious goals. But this will not happen overnight, everything takes time.

One of the great challenges is to have a good network of scouts that detect talent in time, when the runners are still children so that they can develop according to the most current methodologies. An important reference could be Jamaica, which holds the Boys & Girls Champs youth championship every year, where possible future stars emerge.

I am sure that there is a lot of talent throughout the country, but it is necessary that there be discovery and monitoring of those with the greatest powersTamayo pointed out.

The Mexican, who was in the preliminary phases in the 100 and 200 meter dash in Paris, will continue her preparation with Carl Lewis.

The goal now is to qualify for the 2025 World Cup and climb one more step. The plan is to stay with Carl and learn a lot more to beat my own timesthe young runner concluded optimistically.