Mariana Pajón's ordeal: from thinking about retirement to winning with the pain of injuries

Mariana Pajón's life has been framed by sporting glory. At the age of four he started to practice BMX and by the age of five he had won his first national title. His career was predestined to one word: success. In 2007 his power was evident at the Junior World Championships, and by 2008 he received an invitation to the BMX Camp, held in the run-up to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. There was the next one: the Olympics.

The rest is part of the glorious history of sport in Colombia. At the age of 30, Mariana — or the 'Atomic Ant' as they popularly know her — has won three Olympic medals: two gold medals, in London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016, and one more in Tokyo 2020, this being the one that probably had the most flavor for the tireless fight against injuries. This without leaving aside the multiple World Championships, Supercross World Cups and consecrations in the Pan American, Bolivarian, Central American and Caribbean Games, which also adorn its record.

Today, with the experience and wear that the asphalt brings from the BMX tracks, Pajón revealed that he is entering a new phase of his life. With his lifelong thirst for victory, yes, but understanding that his stay at the highest level will depend on personal care and, above all, on the correct treatment of injuries, without fuss.

In an interview with Infobae Colombia, Mariana explained a pinch of her present, which just a few hours ago she was in 'El Clásico Bike Challenge 2022'. This event brought together football and cycling fans to enjoy a bike tour and, later, watch the match between Barcelona and Real Madrid, which left a 4-0 win for the 'Culé' team.

Success brings many challenges. Pajón explained that, although the ghost of retirement was in his head, it is more frustrating to continue winning, today, with the ordeal of physical problems on top.

INFOBAE: What motivated you to be part of 'The Classic Bike Challenge 2022'?

MARIANA PAJON (M.P.) : The most beautiful thing that sports does is unite. I had a bike cross race, but I saw this: a road classic and then watching the game all together in a place that is so familiar was the best thing to unite. And right now we need to come together and unite.

INFOBAE: In that sense, do you think that in Colombia we lack unity? Especially in this polarized election season.

M.P: We lack many things. We have many good ones, but we lack tolerance, union, not suppose, think before speaking, if the other person does not think the same as you, to respect. Life is showing us that we have to work much harder. We are together no matter what, we are together rolling along the same road and with the same smile.

INFOBAE: Last year he had physical problems facing the Tokyo Olympics, but, beyond the difficulties, he got back on the podium. She recently declared that she is injured, and I have to ask her: What kind of discomfort does she suffer at this time?

M.P: Right now I have a fairly large injury in my right elbow that compromises all stability, in terms of ligaments. Time and recovery is what is most pressing, then I have several things like a hernia, which is also bothering a little, a fairly large wear on the cartilage of the right knee and a surgery that I had previously done on my left wrist and that is also like a time bomb. Let's see when it finishes fixing.

INFOBAE: To what extent have these problems affected you when it comes to competing? First in Guayaquil, in the Latin American BMX Cup, which he won, and then in the III valid of the National Cup that took place in Ubaté this Saturday.

M.P: Since qualifying for the Olympics, I had to put up with a lot of pain, I had to infiltrate my whole body daily to be able to ride, but I put up with it and I had a clear goal that was to get to the Olympic Games as it was. I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but I was going to. At this moment what causes the most concern, and that hurts me every time I train, is the elbow, because it is not stable, it disappears. Every time I ride I'm gritting my teeth to endure the entire lap.

INFOBAE: Your calendar was delayed due to the robbery that you and your husband Vincent Pelluard suffered. Several belongings, including US and UK visas, were lost. How is the process of receiving them again going ahead of this year's first World Cup?

M.P: I was going to run in the United States two weekends in a row in the championship that I always run for the team, but I had to change that race to go to Guayaquil, because I could go with my ID. I already have an American visa but I am still getting a UK visa. Many colleagues have already left for Europe but I couldn't get there yet. I have to be patient for it to arrive on time.

INFOBAE: This is a deeper topic that is not usually easy for an athlete to address. In the midst of all the injuries you've suffered lately, is retirement something that really crossed your mind?

M.P: Yes, it crossed my mind. Since that hard knee injury I had, it gave me a break to know that the Olympic Games had been postponed and that I had another year to regain my level. The Olympic qualification was a huge challenge emotionally and physically in my life. At one point I said that enough was enough and that I had to think about myself, my future and my family.

Finally, sport is what I like and I love to do and I will continue to do it until I get it. If I have to lower loads, as I am doing right now, I will, and so I can also work on some techniques that I did not have the time to do before.

INFOBAE: When you won the first medal in 2012 you said: 'my life has been about fulfilling dreams'. Is there a dream you have left to fulfill?

There are many. In BMX you may have won everything, but you always want more. You want to slow down time, keep accumulating World Cups, getting more rainbow shirts and you want to keep winning for the country in the Olympic cycle. Those dreams are what motivate you to train.

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