As if it were the script of a series for any platform, Gerald Drummond of Costa Rica made a brilliant debut on May 25 at the Eugene Diamond League, winning the 400m hurdles and securing his qualification to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Drummond, who will be at his second Olympic Games as an adult, and third overall after the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games, couldn’t believe what was happening as he crossed the finish line that Saturday afternoon, and seconds later, he realized that only he had crossed first.

Gerald’s initial idea was only to enjoy his first Diamond League in his career at the age of 29, but life rewarded him with a direct ticket to France, after clocking 48.56 seconds, a time that did not exceed the 48.70 World Athletics regulations to qualify for next summer.

The Costa Rican said to Centro Caribe Sports that “I don’t know if it will be my last Olympic Games, because I am already 29 years old”, and despite thinking about a possible retirement after Paris 2024, the Olympic athlete left open the possibility of continuing to represent Costa Rica in Los Angeles 2028.

With Gerald Drummond, the Costa Rican delegation has four spots for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, along with Brisa Hennesy in surfing, a spot in men’s road cycling that they won at the 2023 Pan American Championships, and Milagro Mena in women’s road cycling, a spot also won at the 2023 Pan American Championships.

DRUMMOND’S FOOTPRINTS

His adventure as a high performance athlete began in 2010, when he was selected for the qualifier for the Singapore Youth Olympic Games in El Salvador, where he placed second in the 400 meter hurdles (84.0 cm), with a time of 54.71 seconds.

In his first Olympic event, in Singapore, he placed fifth in final 2, with a time of 54.83. Prior to this event, in the heats, Drummond had a time of 54.51.

His first participation in the Central American and Caribbean Games, was in Veracruz 2014, taking fifth place in the individual 400 meters hurdles and in the men’s 4×400 meters relay.

The following year, he competes in the Pan American Games in Toronto, during 2017 he keeps competing in events in the region and for 2018, he returns for the Central American and Caribbean Games, Barranquilla.

In 2021, she made her debut at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, finishing seventh in her qualifying heat with a time of 49.92.

GERALD DREAMS OF CARRYING THE FLAG OF COSTA RICA IN PARIS 2024?

When questioned about being the male flag bearer on the night of July 26th at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in the Seine River, Drummond was emphatic in pointing out that it would be an honor if he is chosen by the Costa Rican Olympic Committee.

He also made it clear that Brisa Hennesy should be the first person to think of to carry the flag, because of her vast achievements in surfing, and at the same time he catalogued her as “the best athlete of our country”, in conversation with Centro Caribe Sports.

Athletics is scheduled to begin on August 1 with the 20-kilometer walk at the Trocadero, while the field and track competitions at the Stade de France will be held from August 2 to 10, while the women’s marathon will take place on Sunday 11 at the Invalides.

^{_{Written by Daniela Sánchez Cienfuegos}}

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