Colombia's line speed skating team returned triumphant to their home country after winning the Inline Speed Skating World Championship in The Netherlands this July.
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About a hundred supporters skated on their way to the El Dorado airport in Bogota to welcome the team as heroes on July 9, as they were arriving from The Netherlands.
“It's very nice to have such a welcome by the people, despite the fatigue and such a long trip, it makes us very proud,” Pedro Causil, one of the team members, told RCN News when arriving to the airport. “The general champions and also earning positions for the Youth Olympic Games. We're bringing gold to Colombia, good results,” said Elias del Valle, the team's coach.
The team earned 20 gold medals, 15 silver and 9 bronze. This is their seventh consecutive world title as a delegation, showing that Colombians remain the best at the sport.
Selección Colombia @PostobonManzana celebra título mundial # 16 en la historia. Equipo nacional obtuvo 20 medallas de oro, 15 de plata y 9 de bronce en el Mundial de Holanda @Coldeportes @OlimpicoCol @ACORDCOLOMBIA1 @Sportnautas @colombiasports @progressa_coop @WorldSkate_news pic.twitter.com/MYgP1xoO8c
— Fedepatín (@Fedepatincol) 8 de julio de 2018
Colombia has been in the first place since 2002, except for 2003 against the U.S. and in 2009 and 2010 against South Korea, when they ended up in second place. This is their 14th collective gold medal, besides three silver medals.
Also, the skaters Gabriela Isabel Rueda and Jhonny Angulo classified for the Summer Youth Olympic Games 2018, to be celebrated in Argentina. They both earned their place after the 5,000 meter race.
Gabriela ended up second in the competition, behind her team partner Allison Dahiana Correa and ahead the Italian Giorgia Valanzano. In the male category, Jhonny finished fourth but got enough points to qualify for the olympics.
“I'm so happy they're welcoming us, the best team in the world, like that. They should trust skating,” said Gabriela Rueda. The South American country is the one with most gold medals in the history of this sport, ahead of the U.S. with 11 gold medals.