The Athletics World Championship arrives today in Doha for its seventeenth edition and national expectation centers on the participation of the twelve Ecuadorian athletes in action.
Sprinter Álex Quiñónez from Esmeraldas emerges as one of Ecuador's main contenders in the 200m sprint, after winning the gold at the recent Pan American Games in Lima, where he clocked 20.27 seconds.
But the 30-year-old Ecuadorian will face the young American Noah Lyles (his time: 19.50s), considered by many as the next superstar of athletics, a sport orphaned of great media figures since the retirement of the legendary Usain Bolt.
- Álex Quiñónez: Not everything is soccer, there are many sports that bring achievements to Ecuador
In addition to Quiñónez, Ecuador is also represented by racewalkers Brian Pintado (20 km) and Claudio Villanueva (50 km), who also won gold in the Peruvian capital in August.
Andrés Chocho (20 km and 50 km racewalk) and Mauricio Arteaga (20 km) complete Ecuador's male representation in the global event that will take place until October 6th.
Meanwhile, in the women's category, hopes are centered on the performance of racewalker Glenda Morejón. The 19-year-old athlete from Ibarra, who will compete in the 20 km racewalk, holds the sub-20 world record (1:25:29) in that category since June.
Last July, Morejón won gold in the 10 km racewalk at the U-20 Athletics Pan American Championships.
- Pintado's gold in racewalk was 'a merit of daring'
Ángela Tenorio also increases the national expectation as she tries to get on the podium once again, after finishing in fourth place in the 100m at the Pan American Games.
In the same line, racewalker Paola Pérez (50 km) is chasing another medal, like the bronze she achieved in Lima.
Ecuador's female representation is completed by marathon runner Rosa Alba Chacha, racewalkers Magaly Bonilla (50 km) and Karla Jaramillo (20 km), and Liuba Zaldívar in the triple jump.
Great Absences
Due to different reasons, Caster Semenya, Mohamed Farah, or Wayne van Niekerk, among others, will not be able to defend their titles in Doha, which begins with several important absences.
Semenya's case has filled the most pages in recent months. The star of the 800m sees her career abruptly halted by the new regulations of the International Athletics Federation regarding hyperandrogenic athletes, who are required to lower their testosterone levels through medication in order to compete in events between 400m and the mile.
3
gold medals
That is Ecuador's historical record in the Athletics World Championship. All medals were won by the legend Jefferson Pérez, who also holds a silver medal. (D)