Carlos Mario Oquendo, Cycling BMX Olympic Medalist, Joins #ClimateComeback Race as Newest EcoAthletes Champion
Carlos Mario Oquendo’s pioneering spirit has been evident since his childhood.
“My dad always wanted us to play sports, so I tried swimming, diving, soccer, and karate but didn't like any of them,” the Medellin, Colombia native recalled. “Then, one day I was invited to try this new sport that had come to our city, cycling BMX racing. It was exciting, fun and challenging! I was hooked and since then, I have not stopped practicing or racing.”
His talent and drive led him to the Olympic medal stand as he earned Bronze at London 2012.
“It was a big challenge since I had to overcome two falls in the qualifying rounds,” said Oquendo. “But I was able to fight back and get the Bronze medal. It really was something incredible, something that my team and I had been imagining and dreaming about for a long time. Now, everyone believes that the best moment as an Olympian would have to be to receive the medal, but for me that was not the case. It was seeing the positive impact that winning the medal gave to my country that was beyond description and will stay for me forever.”
A lifelong passion for the environment, combined with his innate willingness and desire to blaze new and important trails drew Oquendo to EcoAthletes.
Carlos Mario Oquendo rides at the Rio 2016 Olympics (Photo Credit: Agência Brasil Fotografias)
Carlos Mario Oquendo with his Bronze Medal at London 2012 (Photo credit: Zimbio)
“I’ve lived so much of my life outdoors that protecting the environment came naturally to me,” Oquendo shared. “The impacts of climate change are obvious in Colombia, South America, and around the world. That is why I want to work to make a difference on this issue; to give my children a better planet, one that they can enjoy like I did and to teach them by example how to protect the environment.”
Beyond influencing his kids to care about and act on climate, Oquendo became an EcoAthletes Champion to help energize the Green-Sports movement in South and Central America.
“I want to learn more from EcoAthletes Champions and other climate change experts on how to communicate about it,” declared the two-time Olympian — Oquendo also competed at Rio 2016. “Then I will take what I’ve learned to athletes and fans in Colombia and the region, an area that has, for the most part, not yet made the connection between climate change and sport.”
EcoAthletes founder and President Lew Blaustein sees Oquendo as part of a much-needed Green-Sports vanguard in Latin America.
“South and Central America have not joined the Green-Sports movement at scale and that has to change yesterday, given the existential threats from massive over-development of the Amazon and other priceless rainforests in the region,” Blaustein offered. “We are excited to have Carlos Mario join with beach volleyballer Claudia Galindo, also from Colombia, as our first South American Champions so they can help inspire athletes and their many fans to join the #ClimateComeback.