Los Paris 2024 Olympic Games They constituted Ecuador’s best participation in the history of the competition. Although the performance of the tricolor delegation won five medals, Jefferson Perez -former marcher and double Olympic medalist- considers that there could have been more and looks optimistically at Los Angeles 2028.
The last Olympic event, the medals for Ecuador came thanks to Neisi Dajomes and Angie Palaces in weight lifting, Daniel Pintado and Glenda Morejón underway and Lucia Yepez in Olympic wrestling. During that feat, Pérez accompanied the athletes during the days of competition.
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With the Olympics finished and already in the country, Jefferson Pérez spoke with EL COMERCIO and referred to the participation of the tricolor sport. In turn, he told how he sees it currently, what nuances should be worked on and what the upcoming contest represents.
For him, there are processes that must be reinforced and directed towards the different disciplines in the context of sports growth that the country lives. Likewise, he believes that, if that had happened, participation in Paris would have had even greater resonance.
The opportunity of Los Angeles 2028 and a suggestion from Jefferson Pérez
From what he observed in recent Olympicsthe Azuayo points out that he confirmed with the leaders that processes must be taken care of, regardless of whether or not they are of direct competence. In this way, it indicates that there must be inter-institutional or private sector support.
“The Ecuadorian Committee is responsible for the national teams in the Bolivarian, South American, Pan American and Olympic Games. The Ministry of Sports, responsible for financing the preparation and participation of athletes. You more or less have a structure. But we realized that if one institution, in the absence of another, could support it, not replace it, it would have been easier to treat injuries in time, for example“, expressed Pérez.
The medalist in Atlanta 1996 and Beijing 2024 He maintained that it is necessary to open up to new options to enhance oneself and solidify the bases, since most of the athletes’ efforts are still taken for granted. own initiative. Likewise, if a trust had existed, the former athlete points out that the athletes could have been attended to when necessary and the results could have been better.
Looking ahead to the next Olympic event and with those traits to improve identified, Jefferson Pérez believes that Los Angeles 2028 is a “extraordinary moment” for Ecuador. “There is going to be a great ancestry, Latin. We are barely two hours apart, it is very easy to go to Los Angeles in terms of flights, there are many training centers here on the continent where you can make adaptations… there are many advantages“, he points out.
Ecuador’s march has a promising future
Regarding the march, which gave Ecuador two medals in the last Olympic Games, Pérez sees it as being in good hands. Daniel Pintado and his colleagues, as well as Glenda Morejon In the female category, they constitute a promising generation that has shown what it is capable of.
“Daniel Pintado is at the normal age to have won, I was the distortion. He has superior emotional intelligence. Unlike me at 22 years old, who was not prepared, who had no idea about the world, Daniel already has references. There is a path, he already knows how to walk it and he is 29 years old. He has two children who are much more mature, so it will depend on him and his team how much he can extend it,” said the reference.
