VILLEPINTE.- The dream of returning to an Olympic podium vanished for Ingrid ValenciaThe Colombian lost on Saturday by split decision to Kazakhstan’s Nazym Kyzaibay in the quarterfinals of the women’s flyweight boxing event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“Panther” Valencia lost 4-1 to the Asian in the fight held at the Paris Norte Arena and which was the last of her sports career.
“I want to apologize to the people who were expecting that gold medal,” Valencia said through tears. “I’m going to step aside now, I’m just happy to be able to retire at the Olympics.”
Valencia, 35, had previously retired but Colombian boxing leaders convinced her to try for her second Olympic medal.
“We convinced her because we really thought she could win another medal and look how close she came,” said Cuban coach Rafael Iznaga.
The Colombian boxer had previously won bronze in the flyweight category at the 2016 Rio Games.
“It didn’t affect me (taking a few months off) because I arrived in good condition, the decision to retire was already made and now I just took it up again,” he added. “I was close to winning a medal, I showed that I had the means, but it wasn’t possible, now I am taking a step back and I am happy to do so.”
At Paris 2024, Valencia scored victories over Mongolia’s Yesugen Oyuntsetseg and Australia’s Monique Suraci before falling to Kyzaibay, whom she had defeated in their previous encounter at the World Boxing Championship.
“I feel proud to have been a pioneer in Colombia and to be able to say that there is good women’s boxing for Los Angeles 2028,” she added. “Retiring is leaving a piece of my heart in the ring. I hope the next women will fight to be in a competition like this, representing Colombia.”
The last try
Valencia was the last Colombian boxing representative at the Olympic Games in Paris.
“I can’t say that we boxed well because we don’t have the results,” Iznaga said. “Everyone fought well, but the result didn’t come, we failed where we shouldn’t have.”
Iznaga said that before the Olympic Games he estimated that the team could win a couple of medals.
“Olympic diplomas are not enough for us in Colombia, we don’t want diplomas,” Iznaga added. “I am very disappointed, we wanted two medals, probably one gold. We had to have a good result.”
Instead they leave empty-handed.
Source: AP
