Mexican Women Making History in the Olympic Games

During the 1968 Mexico Olympics, Mexican athlete Enriqueta Basilio became the first woman to carry the Olympic flame and light the cauldron of the iconic Summer Games, held every four years since 1896, showcasing the world's most important sporting events. This act changed the perception of women in sports.

On October 12, 1968, the 20-year-old entered the University City Stadium, ran around the track, and ascended 92 steps to light the cauldron at the XIX Olympic Games in Mexico.
"I believe I not only lit the Olympic cauldron, but I also ignited the hearts of women, the fight for justice, for equity, and the fight for equality," she said at the time.

The young athlete, born in Mexicali, Baja California, performed the symbolic act amid social and political upheaval in various parts of the world, accompanied by the growth of the Women's Liberation Movement.

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In a traditionally machista country like Mexico, entrusting a woman with such a high honor as lighting the Olympic flame sent a positive message to society and, why not, to the world. Fifty-six years after Enriqueta Basilio's event, the Paris Games will achieve total gender equity with 5,250 athletes of each gender.

In Mexico 68, upon her retirement, she served as a federal deputy for the PRI from 2000 to 2003.

In 2000, Australian Cathy Freeman became the second woman to light the cauldron at the inauguration.

Notable Mexican Women in Olympism and Their Legacy

Pilar Roldán, María del Rosario Espinoza, Paola Espinosa, and Alejandra Orozco are four women who have made history in Mexican Olympism.

Pilar Roldán Tapia entered the history of Mexican Olympism as the first woman to win a medal for the country, earning silver in fencing at the 1968 Mexico Games.
Born in Mexico City, she practiced tennis inspired by her parents, who shone in international competitions, but switched to fencing at age 13.

Medals in Central American and Caribbean Games, Pan American Games, and three Olympic participations culminated in a silver medal in her own nation.

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María del Rosario Espinoza, born in La Brecha, Sinaloa, is the most decorated Mexican athlete in the Olympics.
In Taekwondo, she won a gold medal in Beijing 2008, bronze in London 2012, and silver in Rio de Janeiro 2016. No other Mexican woman has won three Olympic medals, and María is only surpassed by legendary diver Joaquín Capilla, who won four.

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Paola Espinosa Sánchez is considered the best diver in Mexico's history. In 2009 at the World Aquatics Championships in Rome, she won the gold medal in the 10-meter platform event. With that medal, she became the first Mexican woman to win a World Championship in her specialty and earned three more medals to become, alongside Osmar Olvera, the only Mexican diver with four medals in such events.

Born in La Paz, Baja California, Paola won two medals in the synchronized 10-meter platform event, with bronze in Beijing 2008 alongside Tatiana Ortiz and a silver medal in London 2012 with Alejandra Orozco.

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At 27 years old and with the Paris Games approaching, Alejandra Orozco is already part of Mexican Olympism for her successes and medals in the Summer Games.
The Guadalajara diver won a silver medal at the London 2012 edition, alongside Paola Espinosa in the synchronized 10-meter platform event, becoming at 15 years old the youngest Olympic medalist in Mexico's history.

In the last edition, at Tokyo 2020, Ale won the bronze medal in the same event, but with Gabriela Agúndez, and together, they are ready for their fourth Olympic Games.

• Pilar Roldán switched sports, inspired by Alexandre Dumas' movie "The Three Musketeers."
• María del Rosario won three medals in World TKD Championships—gold, silver, and bronze—between 2007 and 2019.
• The Taekwondo athlete won a gold medal at the Pan American Games in Rio 2007 and Toronto 2015.
• Paola won three gold medals at the Pan American Games in Rio 2007 and Guadalajara 2011.
• Espinosa competed in the Olympics from Athens 2004 to Rio de Janeiro 2016.
• Alejandra Orozco is the flag bearer for the Mexican delegation at Paris 2024.
• Paola Espinosa has 8 Pan American gold medals.
• María del Rosario was 20 years old when she won gold at the World Championships in China.
• Pilar Roldán won two golds at the Pan American Games.
• Paola Espinosa won 15 Pan American medals.
• Alejandra Orozco placed 6th in the individual platform event at Tokyo 2020.
• María del Rosario won two golds in the Central American Games.

Don't miss the Mente Mujer supplement, where you can find these and other articles on women's participation in Olympism. CLIC HERE.