Fencing athlete Jimenez earns Panama's 3rd Beijing-2008 pass

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PANAMA, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Fencing athlete Jesika Jimenez earned Panama's third Beijing-2008 Olympic pass on Sunday at the fencing pre-Olympic tournament held in Mexico, the local press said on Monday.

    "I am happy for this achievement, because it was not easy, but the goal was accomplished," said Jimenez to the local daily "La Prensa" shortly after receiving her gold medal.

    Jimenez earned her pass in the women's individual sword fencing event after she defeated Venezuelan Maria Martinez 15-14 after a hard fought battle.

    Meanwhile, the International Fencing Federation stated that Jimenez earned her Olympic pass after overcoming the first round and afterwards defeating Puerto Rican Alexandra Melendez in the quarter finals and later defeating Chilean Caterin Bravo in the semifinals.

    The pre-Olympic tournament was the last Olympic qualifier in the American continent and the first in which Jimenez participated.

    Jimenez had thought about retiring from fencing in early 2008 since she had been left without the support of a sports scholarship granted by Olympic Solidarity after its funds were taken over by Panama's Olympic Committee during the now overcome crisis for the control of that organization.

    The other two Panamanian athletes that have earned Olympic passes are long jumper Irving Saladino and hurdler Bayano Kamani.

    The 2008 Olympic Games will start on August 8 and finish on August 24 in Beijing, China's capital.