Orluis Aular praised the experience gained on the Paris Olympic route

Orluis Aular is satisfied with his performance in Olympic road cycling / Photo: COV Press

Orluis Aular did not win any medals or diplomas at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, but he is proud to have completed the 273-kilometer (km) men’s road cycling event, which was recently held in France.

In an interview with Aloys Marín, a member of the press department of the Venezuelan Olympic Committee (COV), he praised having finished in 53rd place in a competition in which 90 cyclists competed.

“I’m happy to have finished this Paris 2024 event, which is my second Games since I was in Tokyo 2020. This year I wanted to try to rub shoulders with the favourites, I tried, and I was with them until the last kilometres. I think I should be happy, because it was a pretty tough and long race to the end,” said the Calapa athlete who hopes to return to the universal event in Los Angeles 2028.

A problem at the end

The Creole learned a lot from the competition held on French soil, as he could have been in the top 30 of the competition, but he suffered a health problem at the end of his race and was overtaken by a platoon of rivals near the finish line.

“In the end I had a drop in blood sugar and that was what threw me off balance for those final kilometres. Little by little I lost strength (but thank God I finished the race),” added Aular, who did not complete his performance in Tokyo 2020 and is leaving Paris 2024 happy, whose closing ceremony would take place on Sunday.

“I think the stations (points to recharge a little energy and hydrate) were very good and I am happy to leave the Olympic Games,” he said.

Valencia / Joseph Ñambre