6 August 2021 | Nathalee Aranda, a 26-year-old Adventist athlete from Panama, competed in the long jump category at the Olympic Games in Japan, on Sunday, August 1.

Although Aranda did not make it past the first round of the competition, the Adventist community has focused on the fact that she qualified for the Olympics.

“Having qualified for the Olympics is a great joy for me because I have been working for years to achieve this goal,” said the athlete in an interview for Radio Nuevo Tiempo Peru, according to EUD News.

“It was exciting and I gave many thanks to God because thanks to His will, [and our] effort and discipline, we were able to achieve our goal,” said Aranda, describing her excitement at qualifying for the games.

The president of the Republic of Panama, Laurentino Cortizo, handed over the national flag to the delegation of Panamanian Olympic athletes and Aranda received it on July 8.

The athlete has competed professionally since she was 12 years old, participating in and winning events in Central America, the Caribbean and South America.

“I have always put in God’s hands and trusted in Him. My trust is in Him because I know that, with God, […] I can do anything,” said Aranda to Radio Nuevo Tiempo Peru.

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Image: @COlimpicoPanama/EUD News

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