Ecuador Triathlon Team Reaches Gold in Mixed Relay at Junior Pan American Games | Other Sports | sports

The Ecuador triathlon team proved to be the best at the Pan American level, after reaching the gold medal in mixed relays, a test with which this discipline concluded in the first edition of the Cali-Valle 2021 Junior Pan American Games.

Two bronzes are added to this Sunday’s gold, one in the men’s individual and the other in the women’s individual, which undoubtedly places the triathlon as one of the most outstanding sports in this Pan-American youth event, with three medals achieved.

With Azuaya Cecilia Fárez as the main coach, the team that bathed in gold is made up of Paula Vega, Nancy Lojano, Gabriel Terán and Xavier Criollo, who set a time of 1 hour 24 minutes 8 seconds. Two days before the competition of this day in Calima, at the foot of the beautiful lake of the same name, which incidentally had a pleasant climate that allowed a better participation of the triathletes, Paula Vega and Xavier Criollo took bronze in the individual test.

The day of the mixed relay began at 09:00, starting with Nancy Lojano, then Gabriel Terán as the first relay, Paula Vega in the second and closing Xavier Criollo, positions that were difficult for coach Fárez to plan, but in the end they ended up paying off.

“It was quite difficult to organize the strategy, the tactical part; However, the previous analysis of the times that the rivals did to win in the individual event, specifically Mexico and the United States, allowed us to face the relay event with more confidence. To do this, we decided on a placement order according to the pros and cons of each of the boys that could help us to overcome them, and we ended up getting it right by placing Nancy in the game, followed by Gabriel, Paola and Xavier ”, Fárez assured term of competition.

Nancy Lojano would end up handing over the post in second position after completing the first 300 meters of swimming, the 6.2 kilometers of cycling and the 2.5 kilometers of running, to Gabriel Terán.

She stated that the strength at the start of the competition was in swimming, hence her coach’s decision to launch it first. “I am strong in swimming and I knew that I would come out of the water first or second, but I had to hit hard in athletics to give the rivals little advantage and for Gabriel to keep up the pace in the relay.”

Gabriel Terán, for his part, fulfilled the objective and managed his relief with success, as planned. “We knew that with my swimming, which is one of my strengths, I could maintain or improve the difference that Nancy left me. And so it was, I managed to cut 35 seconds away from the Mexican and get away from the American and be able to hand over to Paula, keeping the second position, “he explained.

Despite this, Paula Vega had to dance with the ugliest, fighting hand to hand with the Mexican Álvarez, who in the race shortened the difference when the Ecuadorian had taken first place in her relief. “My relief practically depended on the two previous ones who came, Nancy and Gabriel, and I had to cut back or get a little distance with the American and not let myself catch up with the Mexican, but she has an impressive career and I tried to get as close to her as possible. possible so that Gabriel can fight it in the closing with a good shot ”.

Until then, everything planned was given and it was Xavier Criollo’s turn to fight the closure, which would be a heart attack in the sprint final that favored the Ecuadorian. to take the test and the gold for Ecuador in mixed relay. “The Mexican was 15 seconds behind me and I had the obligation to cut short in cycling because in the race it was very difficult to catch up with him. This is how I worked and shortened time and was able to finish with a sprint that at the time I did not know what the outcome would be, but I managed to cross the finish line first and be filled with emotion ”, concluded Criollo. (D)