Mexican Olympians leave their mark during emotional visit to Olympic House

Members of Mexico’s national archery team experienced an emotional moment during a visit to Olympic House in Lausanne on 29 May, as Olympians Alejandra Valencia, Ana Paula Vazquez and Angela Ruiz added their signatures to the Olympians Wall.

The group of 22 athletes and coaches toured the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee before gathering for the signing ceremony, which left many in attendance visibly moved.

“A visit to Olympic House is always a magical experience,” said Marc Dellenbach, the World Archery Excellence Centre head coach currently leading Mexico’s national recurve squad through LA28. “It reminds us why we work so hard every day.”

“It’s always very emotional because, in just a few minutes, we’re reminded of all the effort it takes to make an Olympic team and, for some, to win a medal.”

The signing ceremony carried particular significance for Mexico’s Olympians. Between them, Valencia, Vazquez and Ruiz contributed to the women’s team bronze medal won at Paris 2024, while Valencia also claimed mixed team bronze at Tokyo 2020.

For Ruiz, the moment was almost surreal.

“It felt like a dream,” she said. “When I went to the Olympics, I didn’t imagine the amount of impact it could have on my life, and now I’m part of the history of sport around the world.”

As she signed the wall, her thoughts immediately turned to those who helped her reach the Olympic stage.

“I thought about my family, my team and all the effort I made to get to the Olympics,” she said.

Valencia, a four-time Olympian, reflected on the journey that brought her to the moment.

“I felt proud,” she said. “While signing, I thought about the Alejandra who was at each Games, all the experiences, the work and the feelings.”

The visit also left a lasting impression beyond the signing ceremony itself.

“What I liked most was the atmosphere,” Valencia added. “It was a comfortable place and everyone working there looked happy. For such a big building, it felt very cosy.”

The Mexican squad visited Olympic House after spending more than three weeks training in Lausanne between the Shanghai and Antalya stages of the 2026 Hyundai Archery World Cup.

The visit offered an opportunity to reflect on past achievements before returning to competition, with the team departing for Antalya shortly afterwards.

“We hope to return after the LA28 Games to add another line to the wall,” said Dellenbach.

Images courtesy of International Olympic Committee.