The Colombian athlete Anthony Zambranor he will not defend the silver medal he won in Tokyo this time in the Paris Olympic Games after not achieving the minimum mark in the 400 meters flat.
The last option I had was in eThe National Championship of Cali this weekend, but he did not go below 45 seconds, the time required to get his spot in Paris.
Empty hands
On Friday, in the semifinal, he stopped the clock at 45 seconds and 42 hundredths, he went to the final of the 400 meters, but on Saturday morning he set a time of 46.15 seconds.
“There are several international athletes who were looking for a mark or a score in this National and that gives importance to the championship. I have had many injuries and that has harmed me. I will continue training. Better competitions are coming.” Next year there is a World Cup and we are going to fight”said Zambrano.
Anthony Zambrano
Photo:Colombian Olympic Committee
And I add: “This is part of the process. Today we are good, tomorrow bad. “We have to keep going, we have to try it. We have to stay motivated, that makes athletes strong. We have gone eight competitions without injuries. My agenda is to stay in Spain, with my physiotherapist, recovering, training. We have to keep competing to get marks for the world championship,” he said.
The closest the Colombian came to achieving his goal was last year at the World Cup. Budapest, Hungary, where he achieved, in the fourth series, a mark of 44 seconds and 92 hundredths.
Anthony Zambrano
Photo:Colombian Olympic Committee
However, he was disqualified for invading lanes and, although he had made it to the semifinals, he was eliminated.
For the same reason, Zambrano was also disqualified in the Santiago Pan American Games 2023, where he had won the bronze medal.
Zambrano lost the option and has no more opportunity to achieve the minimum registration, since this June 30 the classification limit closes.
“It is part of the process. Today we are doing well, tomorrow we are doing badly. We have to keep going, we have to try. We have to stay motivated, that makes athletes strong.”
