Pan American Games 2023: Mexican Citlali Christian took gold in the marathon

Citlali Christian won this Sunday with a time of 2 hours 27 minutes 12 seconds. women’s marathon at the Pan American Games in Santiago de Chile and became the third Mexican woman to win the continental competition, in which she also broke the Pan American record.

GOLD FOR MEXICO! 🇲🇽😍

With a stunning time of 2:27:12, Citlali Christian won the gold medal and set the Pan American women’s marathon record! 💪🏼👏🏼

Congratulations, Citlali! 🔥#PanamSports #Santiago2023 #Pan-American Games #Mexico pic.twitter.com/axa5oajHBx

— Panam Sports (@PanamSports) October 22, 2023

As if what Mexican Christian achieved this Sunday with her record of 2:27:12 was not enough. lowered the Pan American record by more than three minutes which Gladys Tejeda set four years ago in 2:30:55.

Florencia Borelli won the silver medal with a time of 2:27:29. and she is the first Argentine to finish on the marathon podium in Pan American Games history, with bronze going to Peruvian Gladys Tejeda in 2:30:39, who failed to maintain her Lima 2019 title.

Citlali, 28 years old, native of San Juan de los Lagos, Jalisco state. and he showed that mental strength and the potential of his legs were his best weapons in a race in which he fought a superb duel with Borelli.

Both athletes arrived together during the first hour of competition. and when Borelli overtook her on the long route on which the Argentine had dominated the test, the Mexican remained calm.

Christian remained consistent at his pace and his strategy paid off. Because in the penultimate corner, when the legs hurt the most and the mind usually plays tricks, the Mexican, with the finish on the horizon, was chasing Borelli after a twenty-kilometer chase.

And he never looked back. With this last push Christian ran solo to the gold medal and the Pan American Women’s Record with an already exhausted Borelli having to settle for silver.

Without a doubt, this is a dream year for the Mexican distance runner.and started with a time of 2h24:53 of the Seville Marathon. which ensured she earned the minimum mark for the 2024 Paris Olympics and also became the first Latin American woman since 2006 to break the 2 hours 25 minutes barrier.