Two titles for Panamanian cyclists and a golden one for Costa Rica among the ladies was the balance of the first day of the Central American Road Championship, which is held in Panama until Sunday, April 16, with the presence of six nations and more than 60 riders. .

As planned in the program, this Friday was dedicated to individual time trials, held in a section of the coastal strip, where the Panamanian Christofer Jurado won the elite category, with a record of 48 minutes and 34 seconds.

The podium in this modality was completed by the veteran and impetuous Guatemalan Manuel Rodas (48:38) and the Costa Rican Gabriel Rojas (50:40), second and third, respectively. “It was a hard day, but it is my favorite specialty and I wanted to give this gold to my family, to Panama and to all those who follow our cycling,” King Jurado told the local media.

The other crown for the hosts of the joust came in the women’s sector, when Wendy Ducreux (32:51) was faster by just two seconds over her partner Annibel Prieto (32:53). Tica María Sánchez (33:01) was left for the bronze, in a 22.5-kilometre test.

“It was exciting because there was so little difference over Annibel. But the most important thing is that the victory was in Panama ”, Wendy commented after the award ceremony, in which she was very happy and hopeful with what she can do in the upcoming Pan American Championship in the canal city itself.

Finally, during the men’s time trial of the sub-23 category, the one-two at the finish line was done by the Costa Ricans Donovan Ramírez (38:10) and Dylan Jiménez (38:30), who relegated the Panamanian Roberto Herrera to third place ( 40:35).

For this Saturday, the riders will meet in the long-distance test of the sub-23 category, with a 125-kilometre route, and on Sunday the competition closes with the elite female and male division.

According to the Panamanian Cycling Federation, the women will run in a distance of 82.5 kilometers and the men will ride 150 kilometers, in a turn that will add points within the International Cycling Union for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Panama will also host, from April 18 to 23, the Pan American Road Championship, where the youth, U-23, elite and junior categories will see action.