Mexico City has also hosted the Summer Olympics in 1968 thereby becoming the first city in the Developing World to host the greatest sporting show on earth. The selection of Mexico’s capital was mired in controversy, as the city’s high altitude at 2,300 meters meant that its air contained 30% less oxygen than at sea level, which ultimately did prove disastrous for many athletes competing in events requiring high-endurance levels. The Mexico City Olympics are however memorable for several firsts as far as women in the Olympics are concerned. For the first time in the Summer Olympics, sex testing for women was introduced during the Mexico City Games. Also, for the first time in the history of the Summer Olympics, Enriqueta Basilio, a Mexican hurdler became the first women ever to light the Olympic Cauldron at the Opening Ceremony. Moreover, Eulalia Rolinska of Poland, Gladys de Seminario of Peru and Nuria Ortiz of Mexico became the first women to compete in shooting. However, the most popular women athlete to emerge out of the Mexico City Olympics was the Czech gymnast Vera Caslavska who won four golds and two silvers defeating in the process gymnasts from the Soviet Union which had a couple of months ago invaded her country with tanks.
Mexico’s Latin roots and Spanish Colonial heritage made the country inherit the traditional sport of bull fighting as one of the favorite past times of its inhabitants. Frenzied crowds can be seen cheering matadors as they engage the animals in the sporting arenas popularly called bullrings. As in Spain, bull fighting has become an indispensable part of Mexican culture and tradition although later day sports like boxing and baseball has diverted some of the loyal fan following away from this ancient sport.
Mexico has some of the finest beach resorts in Latin America and therefore offers a lot of opportunities for water sports and other related events. Mexico’s rugged and wild landscape is also home to a number of scenic and spectacular national parks. The country’s national park system is fairly well developed and includes several protected areas although many of these parks do not match European or North American standards of management and face several threats to their ecology and environment. Nonetheless, Mexico’s national parks and protected areas offer adventure sport enthusiasts ample opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, trekking, hill walking, white water rafting and rock climbing to mention only a few.
For more in formation on the Mexico Sports log on the following pages.
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