The Paris 2024 Olympics brought both disappointment and hope for Mexican athletes on August 10. In the men’s 10m platform diving event, Randal Willars narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing fifth with a total score of 478.40 points. Willars had been in contention for a medal throughout the competition but a poor final dive, scoring only 61.50 points, cost him a podium finish. His teammate Kevin Berlín finished ninth with 420.65 points.In taekwondo, Carlos Sansores saw his gold medal dreams end in the +80kg category quarterfinals, losing to Iran’s Arian Salimi. However, Sansores still has a chance for bronze through the repechage system if Salimi reaches the final. ‘I’m preparing mentally and physically to take advantage of any opportunity that may arise and represent Mexico with pride in the repechage,’ Sansores said.Other Mexican athletes had mixed results across various events. In modern pentathlon, Mariana Arceo finished 18th in semifinal B, while Mayan Oliver placed 11th in her semifinal, both failing to advance to the final. In freestyle wrestling, Austin Gómez was eliminated after losing 7-0 in the 65kg category. Beatriz Briones and Karina Alanís were also eliminated from the kayak individual K1 event.Despite the setbacks, the Mexican Olympic Committee remained positive, highlighting the achievements of their athletes reaching finals and still having medal opportunities. As the games continue, attention now turns to the remaining events and the potential for Mexico to add to its all-time Olympic medal count of 78, including 13 gold, 27 silver, and 38 bronze medals.
Key points
- Randal Willars finished fifth in the 10m platform diving event after a poor final dive.
- Carlos Sansores lost in taekwondo quarterfinals but still has a chance for bronze through repechage.
- Mexican athletes competed across various events with mixed results, including modern pentathlon, freestyle wrestling, and kayaking.
