The meeting point was the iconic Doroteo Guamuch Flores stadium. Six Guatemalan athletes shared the illusion of winning a place in the massive marathon of the 2024 Paris Olympics, an experience that will change their lives.
The emotion and joy is perceived in the faces of Guatemalan athletes Tania Lee, Isabel García, Paola García, Andrés Lemus and Pablo Wong, who for the first time met and exchanged that feeling of the world of runner.
The meeting was not able to attend Zeasseska Noriega, who lives in Barcelona, Spain, but will also live the Parisian adventure and closely follows every moment of his colleagues through the stories of Instagram and through the WhatsApp group they opened on the occasion of the trip.
Between laughter and jokes, the runners share how they completed the requirements to be taken into account by the organization, as they walk along the blue tartan track of the national stadium, which has seen great figures of Guatemalan athletics shine.
The massive marathon in Paris 2024 is part of one of the events that will be implemented for the first time in history, in which 20, 24 runners are expected to compete and will have the peculiarity that it will be at night.
The elite male marathon test, in which Alberto González will compete, will be held on August 10, from 8 a.m. (12 am from Guatemala), and at 21 hours (13 hours) will be the starting flag of the 42 kilometers.
The mass participation marathon offers the opportunity for as many people as possible to get closer to the heart of the adventure of the Games, following in the footsteps of Olympic athletes, explains the official website of Paris 2024.
The massive marathon will follow the same journey as the Olman. The goal of the marathon format is to allow amateur athletes to exceed their limits and be part of an exceptional moment in which they will follow in the footsteps of Olympic athletes.
Emotion
Andrés Lemus is a systems engineer. His first participation was in 2015, in the Maya Marathon, and then races were in Tokyo, London, Chicago and Berlin.
“The reason I sought to be in Paris is to show myself that I can be disciplined to achieve the score for this event, but what I am most happy to do is leave a legacy to my family,” Lemus said.
Thania Lee, for her part, began running for health reasons at the age of 18, and the first marathon in which she competed was that of New York, in 2015. That was the beginning of a passion that hasn’t stopped. Even during the pandemic he participated in a virtual career.
I’ve already run the six Word Marathon Majors, which are Boston, New York, Chicago, Berlin, Tokyo and London. Running in Paris is a dream and a blessing from God, and that’s why I’ll go and enjoy it,” Lee said.
Legacy
Isabel Garcia started in the sport as a challenge with a friend. His forte is the ironman, with whom he has competed in three World Cups. In January of this year he received the mail confirming the invitation to compete in the mid-sea marathon in Paris.
I started in athletics to watch my dad run. Participating in the city marathon of the Olympic Games is a dream. “I am honored to represent Guatemala,” said Paola García, who shares her passion for sport with her profession as a doctor.
The group also includes experienced runner Pablo Wong, who accumulates 18 years in the sport and has competed in 194 marathons. To be able to run in Paris is a gift from God and an award for effort and dedication, he says.
The athletes will cover with their money the plane tickets, lodging and food and have approached the authorities of the Guatemalan Olympic Committee so that they can offer them uniforms.
This article has been translated after first appearing in Prensa Libre