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Garibay has a guaranteed step for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
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When he crossed the finish line of the Mexico City marathon, Bolivian Héctor Garibay jumped for joy. It was not for less. He had just set a new record for the event: three minutes faster than the one set in 2018. The new mark is 2:08:22.
Garibay is one of the few to win an event that has been dominated by Kenyan athletes since 2018 – with the exception of 2021, when it was won by the Mexican Dario Castro – and is expected to be one of the surprises at the Paris Olympics. to be held in 2024.
But Garibay’s rise to being one of the best distance athletes in the world has not been easy.
Born in Oruro, the man worked as a taxi driver to finance his career due to what he has called a “lack of support” from sponsors.
Much of his funding has come from the Oruro government (which he thanked during his victory in Mexico for providing the plane tickets) and from his participation in events such as the marathon he just won, which awards the winner some US$30,500. .
“I came to Mexico for the victory because I knew that because of the altitude, it would be difficult for the other participants,” said the marathoner after finishing the competition in Mexico City.
Earlier marks
image source, Getty Images
The Mexico marathon has been almost entirely dominated by African athletes since 2017: just two exceptions, the Mexican Darío Castro and the Bolivian Héctor Garibay.
Despite setting a record time in Mexico, Garibay’s fastest time was achieved in February in Seville.
His time of 2:07:44 earned him a pass to both the 2023 World Athletics Championships and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
This, in turn, gave him national recognition and earned him the support of the Bolivian government with two scholarships from the Bolivian Olympic Committee.
And although the time in Mexico is greater than the one registered in Seville, it must be remembered that The Mexico City Marathon takes place at 2,240 meters above sea level.
“For me, it’s a little easier because I come from a higher altitude, so my goal was always to fight for the first places,” Garibay said after the race in Mexico.
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