Mexico’s Alegna González during the Cantones Marching International Grand Prix held in A Coruña, Spain. KIKO DELGADO (EFE)
Alegna González takes a look at Mexican athletics. The hiker from Ojinaga (Chihuahua) won the bronze medal at the Cantones de A Coruña International Walking Grand Prix, one of the most important events in the sport of walking. The 20K test is part of Mexico’s roadmap aimed at shining at the Paris Olympics.
The Mexican started the test from seventh position. Leading the pack were China’s Qieyang Shijie and Liu Hong, and great walker Kimberly García, winner of two gold medals at last year’s World Athletics Championships in Oregon. The Peruvian took the lead, followed by Wu Quanming, who started from 82nd. Alegna González was the leader of the competition during half of the scoring. González’s rhythm never faltered and he showed once again that he is serious about the trip to Paris 2024.
González secured entry to the Olympics in March last year when he won gold at the Dudinksa 50 race in Slovakia. His time of 1:28:09 earned him his second Olympic ticket, now in France. In Tokyo, the Mexican made her debut from 31st to fifth place. Victory in the Slovakian event earned Alegna González a ticket to the World Athletics Championships, which will be held August 19-27 in Budapest, Hungary. The Chihuahua walker won another bronze medal in a 10K race on May 1 at the Finetwork Madrid International Grand Prix.
Mexican walker Alegna González after one of her training sessions.Conade
Mexico saw a great opportunity to excel in sports in the athletic march. In total, the country has won 10 Olympic medals in this discipline thanks to José Pedraza, Carlos Mercenario, Noé Hernández, Daniel Bautista, Ernesto Canto, Raúl González, Joel Sánchez and Guadalupe González, the only woman to do so. The case of Lupita González is a thorn in Mexicans’ side, as she won the world championship in March and silver in Rio 2016, but was suspended in 2019 for testing positive for trenbolone, an anabolic steroid that reduces fat and increases muscle mass. That ended his career.
Hopes rest on Alegna, which means Angela backwards, like her grandmother’s name. The Mexican athlete won the 2018 World Youth Athletics Championships in the 10,000 meter dash. And also in the 10-kilometer walk test. Her talent has opened the doors for her to be endorsed by the Adidas brand, La Salle University and the Mexican Navy.
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