El Salvador's Olympic athletes

El Salvador is sending 11 athletes to compete in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing beginning this week. Those athletes are:

You can follow their fortunes during the Beijing games at the website of El Salvador's Olympic Committee or in the special section of El Diario de Hoy.

Comments

Anonymous said…
The guy who play tennis has an interview today in the press, and he summarizes what our history is in the olympics lately concerning the athletes in such games.

1-They have trained abroad mostly.

2-Some of these athletes are only salvadoran in order to go to the olympics, because they do not even live in El Salvador.

3-They are mostly a sort of olympic tourist with a pass to the competitions, because they know they are not up to olympic athelte standard, and they accept they have no chance of winning. And they accept this happily, because at least they got to go to the games.

4-No medals can be expected.

All of the above leads to questioning, if we bring people who live and train abroad, and they have not been picked up by the scouts from those countries, can we really expect to ever win with one of them?

And I guess it is possible but ulikely.
Salvi_Alchemist said…
The problem with El Salvadoran athletes is that the country does little to sponsor any programs, acadamies, or events. How can half an island like Dominican Republic produce world class athletes? Countires like Jamaica, Cuba, or Puerto Rico. Seems like the idea is that if education can't get you out of poverty, sports may be the answer. I dont know that Central America has caught on to this plan.
Anonymous said…
I agree that it is a complete waste of money to send this group of atheletes to the olympics. The reality is that the central american metizo does not have the genetics to be world class atheletes.
LatinLover said…
To rEALIST, and other thinking alike individuals, you are a complete ignorant biggot, I would not be surprised if your job were flipping burgers.

I think that lack of resources and lack of training has more to do with it thana anything else.

If your genes are so superior, how come you are not in the games?

You might want to get your GED along the way.
Anonymous said…
Until the funding exists, we will have to do and hope for the best. A good showing can turn things around.
Anonymous said…
Haha realist I am the living example that you are wrong.


Yes, i'm gonna be pretentious here.


For not only am I an amazing athlete but I have NEVER EVER met any el salvadorian who IS NOT an athlete. Ever.
Anonymous said…
I have always known that El salvadorians are just awesome at sports. I wonder what potential is left untapped becausse of the lack of programs in el salvador.



BTW, a few of the El salvadorians are doing not bad. Not great but not bad.
Anonymous said…
it's not about individual skill, talent or passion. it's about resources and priorities. my ex-husband had the skill, talent and passion to medal. he was on the Salvadoran Olympic Team as a marathoner. he received little more support than an official id card ... he never made it to Seoul in 1988; he couldn't get to the airport because of the fighting.

most if not all of the Salvadoran athletes that I know have to train elsewhere in order to have access to resources. if you want medals then the government has to make that a priority. Otherwise people are going to go elsewhere to train. You can't blame the athletes for not getting medals. You have to blame the whole system.

Would you rather have no team than a team made up of great athletes that made the commitment and sacrifice to leave home, find financial support and train for their dream with little or no official support?

And,, like the post above, I think the athletes are doing well.
Anonymous said…
I'm actually trying to get information on how i can try out for the 2012 olympics (marathon) for El Salvador, any information will be helpful.
awesome said…
i don't think Salvadoran lack athletic ability i just think that they don't get enough support is the problem.... but i have faith in my country and hopefully i will make the 2016 Olympics.
awesome said…
i hope things financially change because i would love to represent el Salvador in the future... but for now im left to being just another athlete in training