The year 2023 was sweet and pleasant for the great reference of the Ñublensino triathlon, Mateo Mendoza.
In sports, he fulfilled a dream by competing in his first World Cup, in which, as is his custom, he gave everything to finish in 23rd place in the under-23 category. Previously, he had run the Pan American Games in Colombia and Mexico, in which he was first (sprint) and fourth (elite), and seventh (sub-23) and 21st, respectively.
However, he must have also experienced a painful moment.
The loss of his beloved and unforgettable father, Luis Mendoza, who did not miss any of his races and fervently supported him in each competition.
Appealing to the mettle he has forged in triathlon, the “Iron Boy” from the Ñuble Region sealed his season and now, starting 2024, he has already had an enriching and hard experience.
The weekend he ran the Pan American Championship in Miami, in which, following an eventful race, which included several punctures, when facing the cycling stage, he finished 35th overall and 13th in the sub-23, with a time of 1 :53:35, representing the Triathlon Branch of the Catholic University.
Although he might not be closer to the podium, Mateo Mendoza qualified, in the sub-23 series, along with Andree Buc and Fernando Jacome, to the Triathlon World Cup to be held in Torremolinos-Andalusia, Spain, between the 17th and 20th of October.
“There was everything for this race. Preparation at height. a tremendous team from the Catholic University accompanying us this last month in Mexico. Many punctures, my family winning the award for the best bar, laughter and more punctures. I put them all together, thinking it would be like mixing all the colors of plasticine to make a rainbow, but it ended up being a greenish-brown ball, a bit ugly. In short, all the work done remains in a savings account for what comes next year. Thanks to everyone who is always there,” he, one of the best athletes in Chillán, posted on his Instagram account.
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