Costa Rican marcher and surfer qualify for the olympic games
San José, Jun 5 (EFE) .- Costa Rican marcher Noelia Vargas and her compatriot, surfer Leilani McGonagle, qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games this Saturday.
Noelia Vargas ensured her contest in the 20-kilometer specialty by stopping the timers at one hour, 30 minutes and 43 seconds in La Coruña.
The Costa Rican surpassed the 1h33: 09 mark set at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games. To qualify for the Olympic Games, Vargas needed a mark of 1h31: 00.
"I am very happy, today I had a too strong mind because it got quite hot to be La Coruña. During the competition I felt very good, I had to fight the last kilometers. I am very happy to achieve this goal," said Vargas.
Surfer Leilani McGonagle reached a record of 11.63 and placed second behind Peruvian Daniella Rosas, who finished with 11:93.
The Costa Rican raced in round 5 of the Women's Main Round on the seventh day of the ISA World Surfing Games in El Salvador.
"Today we achieved a very big goal, I am super grateful and excited with all the support. Being part of the first 40 surfers in an Olympics is going to be an honor and I hope to take Costa Rica up high and represent them in the best way", McGonagle said.
Costa Rica has classified to date Tokioi to Brisa Hennessy (Surf); María José Vargas and Andrey Amador (Road Cycling) Kenneth Tencio (BMX FreeStyle), Andrea Carolina Vargas (100 meters hurdles) and they are joined by Noelia Vargas (March) and Leilani McGonagle in Surfing.
