Mariana Pajón

Mariana Pajón Londoño ODB (born 10 October 1991) is a Colombian cyclist, two-time Olympic gold medalist and BMX World Champion.[2]

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Pajón and the second or maternal family name is Londoño.
Mariana Pajón
Pajón in 2013
Personal information
Full nameMariana Pajón Londoño
Nickname"Tata", "Queen of BMX"
Born (1991-10-10) 10 October 1991
Medellín, Colombia
Height1.58 m (5 ft 2 in)[1]
Weight53 kg (117 lb)[1]
Team information
DisciplineBicycle Motocross (BMX)
RoleRider
Medal record
Representing  Colombia
Olympic Games
2012 London Women's BMX
2016 Rio de Janeiro Women's BMX
World Championships
2010 PietermaritzburgElite Women Cruiser
2011 CopenhagenElite Women
2013 AucklandElite Women's Time Trial
2014 RotterdamElite Women
2015 ZolderElite Women's Time Trial
2016 MedellínElite Women
2011 CopenhagenElite Women's Time Trial
2014 RotterdamElite Women's Time Trial
2016 MedellínElite Women's Time Trial
2017 Rock HillElite Women
World Junior Championships
2008 TaiyuanJunior Women Cruiser
2009 AdelaideJunior Women Cruiser
2009 AdelaideJunior Women
Pan American Games
2011 Gualadajara Women's BMX
2019 Lima Women's BMX

She won her first national title at age of 5 and her first world title at 9. Overall, she is the winner of 14 world championships, 2 national championships in the United States, 9 Latin American Championships and 10 Pan American championships. She also won the gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, on 10 August 2012, as well as in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. She is the first Colombian to win two Olympic gold medals. Pajón's achievements in BMX have earned her the nickname "Queen of BMX".[1]

She was selected to be the flag-bearer for Colombia at the 2012 Summer Olympics at the Opening Ceremony.

BMX Olympic champion

London 2012

After being the flag-bearer for Colombia during the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics, Pajón's first participation in the BMX event resulted in the first gold medal for Colombia during the 2012 games and the second overall in Colombia's participation in the Olympics.[1]

After achieving a splendid 1st position in all three runs of the Semifinals, Pajón won with a time of 37.706 seconds during the final.[3]

Rio 2016
Mariana Pajón won Olympic Gold at the 2016 Summer Olympics

In the 2016 Olympic Games Pajón defended her title and won her second Olympic gold medal and fifth overall for Colombia. With this victory, Pajón became the first Colombian athlete to win two gold medals.

Awards

Olympics
  • London 2012
    • Olympic gold medal, Women's BMX
  • Rio de Janeiro 2016
    • Olympic gold medal, Women's BMX (First Colombian to achieve 2 gold medals at the Olympic Games)

Pan American Games

World Championships

Personal life

Mariana Pajón Londoño was born in Medellín, Colombia, on October 10, 1991, [7] daughter of Carlos Mario Pajón and Claudia Londoño, who were also athletes in their youth (her father practiced motoring and her mother riding). [ 8] She studied at the Sacred Heart Montemayor Catholic school in Rionegro, near to Medellín.

Mariana learned to ride a bicycle when she was three years old. When she was four she began to perform her first training on the track, and had her first race, in which she competed against children of five and six years-of-age since there was no suitable category.

She was invited to the Youth Camp held during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. [9] On June 1, 2008, Mariana won the UCI BMX World Championship 2008, held in Taiyuan, China, in Junior Women's Cruiser category. On the international tracks, the nickname of the atomic ant was won by its particular way of running, with explosion, rudeness and aggressiveness.

References
  1. Mariana Pajon. london2012.com
  2. Valledupar Noticias: Mariana Pajón gana Medalla de Oro para Colombia en los Juegos Olimpicos de Londres. valleduparnoticias.co (10 August 2012)
  3. With David Beckham watching, Mariana Pajon wins women’s BMX gold at the London Olympics. The Associated Press (10 August 2012)
Olympic Games
Preceded by
María Luisa Calle		 Flagbearer for  Colombia
London 2012		 Succeeded by
Yuri Alvear
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