Satisfied to get a silver after 40 years: Green

Marco Verde looks at his silver medal as if he still couldn’t believe the feat he has achieved in boxing at Paris 2024. He knows that he is already a reference in this discipline in Mexico, one of the most popular, but before deciding whether to seek professionalism, he will focus on the amateur sector, where he has developed and knows the needs of this area.

“It now depends on the authorities (whom they appoint at Conade), we are only interested in training, that they let us do what we like, that they support us to achieve the results that we have achieved,” said Verde, who arrived with around twenty other tricolor athletes after the Olympic competition.

“As athletes, we have surpassed what we did in Tokyo, it seems that we are on the right path. And I have faith that boxing will not be banned in Los Angeles 2028,” he added with a smile.

With a hug, Verde was reunited with his family who traveled from Sinaloa to Mexico City to welcome him after his trip from Paris. “You have already won the heart of Mexico,” read one of the banners his sister carried to celebrate the achievement; a phrase that is supported by the meaning of the medal that reconciled fans with boxing.

Boxing is the discipline that has given Mexico the second most medals; with Marco Verde’s silver medal, it now has 14 medals. However, it is only the third medal in 20 years since Cristian Bejarano (2000) and Ismael Rodríguez (2016) won bronze.

“I feel very satisfied knowing that after 40 years we were able to win silver again. I wanted gold, but this time it wasn’t possible,” she said, acknowledging the importance of having reached an Olympic final.

Verde also made it clear that this feat shows that Mexican boxing can be among the world elite, not only in the professional field, but also in the sector of those athletes who seek Olympic glory.

“Mexico has always had potential, many say that it has more potential in the professional field, but with this medal they can see that we are there in the amateur field. It is a great satisfaction because I strive to give my best,” he said.

While Verde’s medal is encouraging for boxing, the reality of Mexican sport is different. After 17 days of competition at the Olympics, the numbers once again show a reality in which five medals were won – three silver and two bronze – one more than in Tokyo 2020 – with four bronze.

On the last day of competition, Ana Guevara, head of CONADE, said that although the balance is positive, the medal harvest was meager because she had the expectation of surpassing Mexico’s best performance in a summer competition held in 1968 with nine medals.

Some athletes admitted to being somewhat dissatisfied with their own results, as they knew that factors such as mental strength were key at the decisive moment to winning medals.

“It’s not just her (Ana Guevara) who is unhappy with the results, we also expected more. Not winning a medal in Paris makes me want it even more, so it’s time to start working for the next cycle,” admitted diver Randal Willars, who missed out on bronze in the 10-meter individual platform by failing in the last jump to finish in fifth place in the event.

Still “heartbroken” after not being able to repeat the feat of his brother Ismael, who won bronze in Tokyo 2020, pentathlete Emiliano Hernández asserted that he will not give up on his goal of getting on the Olympic podium

“I spoke to my brother and he told me that I did very well, that I have the whole road ahead of me and that he will accompany me on the adventure called Los Angeles,” said the pentathlete who apologized again for not winning a medal.

Archer Ana Paula Vázquez, team bronze medallist, proudly showed off the medal, which encourages her to seek a new feat in the next summer competition.

“What we did was historic, but I’m not going to settle for that. I still want my individual medal and I’m going to work for it for the next four years,” she said.

Taekwondo athlete Carlos Sansores, who arrived as world runner-up and lost the bronze medal match, brushed aside criticism for his poor performance and preferred to highlight the positive.

“I think I have climbed more than in Tokyo because I managed to fight for bronze. Obviously, it is not the result I worked for and I will continue to strive for the goal if my body and health allow it.”

Sansores was tasked with winning a medal to return Mexican taekwondo to the Olympic elite, after the country had won medals from Sydney 2000 to Rio 2016.