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Winter Olympics: How was the participation of Ibero-American athletes?

The games in South Korea left good stories of Latino and Hispanic athletes

Winter Olympics: How was the participation of Ibero-American athletes?

Gone are the stunning images that left the winter games. The 14 gold medals Norway and Germany (which defined the winner of the Olympics for the Nordic, for 4 silver medals over). Gone was the historical absence of the flag of Russia, as its athletes competed with the flag of the Olympic Committee because of the doping ban.

Historically , the Winter Olympics have been a difficult terrain for Hispanics and Latinos. Tropical climates and few places to practice a winter sport have shown that simply engaging against athletes who practice daily and for years is a great achievement.

During the last Winter Olympics, held in PyeongChang, South Korea, it was shown that athletes of this region of the world have opportunities to compete against great powers.

The Ibero-American country with the most medals was Spain. 2 bronze medals and being in the 26th position are great news for the peninsula. The 2 bronze medals were won by Javier Fernandez in figure skating and Regino Hernandez in Snowboard.

In Spain the accompanying Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, Portugal, and Puerto Rico in the Ibero-American representation. Although not get any medals, if they left pleasant stories and memorable performances.

For example, Ecuador attended the Olympic winter games for the first time in its history. Klaus Jungbluth Rodriguez, skier, was the first representative of the most tropical country and farther from the poles in the world to compete. Despite arriving in the post 112 of 116 in the 15 km freestyle, they made him a true hero.

Colombia went from having only 1 athlete in the Olympic Games in 2010 and no representative in 2014, to participating with 4 in Nort Korea. Bolivia returned to compete after 6 editions in which he was absent, while Puerto Rico returned after games 1998. Jamaica again compete in its traditional sports, bobsleigh, which is to conduct a kind of aerodynamic sled through an ice rink.

Stories over results

Despite not achieving medals, Latino athletes gave a sign of brotherhood, perseverance and solidarity among peoples. This is the latest example of the happiest place on earth.

Mexican Germán Madrazo came in 116th in the test 15 kilometers of cross-country skiing. However, despite being the last, he was greeted as if it came first. Manito athlete had learned to ski just 1 year ago and passed the goal raising the flag of Mexico.

As soon Madrazo crossed the finish line, several of his companions, among whom was the Colombian Sebastian Uprimmy and Portuguese Kequyen Lam, who raised his teammate on his shoulders and celebrated his achievement.

Even Pita Tofua, the Tonga athlete who shot to fame after being the standard bearer for his country at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, celebrated with Madrazo. Pita was the first to receive the Mexican and load on his shoulders. Moreover, in his Instagram account said that "not many people saw how hard he (Germán Madrazo) fought for this privilege called Olympics. I do see him, I was there watching him every day, fighting with him. He always emphasizes the I love he has for his family, his creator and his country. I have great respect for this man".

Hopefully by Beijing 2022, athletes from the region increase and improve their positions, so that at the time, they can achieve the first medal in a competition, and the Spaniards can repeat Francisco Fernandez's gold in 1972.

 

Latin American Post | Santiago Gómez Hernández

Copy edited by Laura Rueda Rocha

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