Olympic gold medal winning hero Mariana Pajon was named an “Honorary Citizen” of the Andean region Friday in recognition of her achievement in the London 2012 games.
Pajon, who brought Colombia’s only gold medal from the games in the BMX event, was given the honor by the General Secretariat of the Andean Community (CAN) in a ceremony in Peru’s capital Lima.
Afterwards the Medellin-born Olympian said. “It is an honor for me that the Andean Community grant me this distinction.
“During the coming events in which I will compete, I’ll be representing all of you, because you are always in my heart.
“Hopefully in the next Olympic Games in Rio I will get another medal, as this will be dedicated to the Andean Community, from whom I have received much affection.”
Pajon’s heroics had previously inspired a short-film in Bogota which traced her passage through key moments in her life to her crowning glory.