Colombian Cyclist Tests Positive at Pan Am Games

07/25/2015 14:34

July 23, 2015   (Milton, ON) - Colombian cyclist Maria Luisa Calle Williams has tested positive for a banned substance at the 2015 Pan American Games reports the Colombian daily, HSB Noticias, and Cicloweb, an Italian website. Calle Williams, 46, apparently failed a doping test for growth hormones after the Women's Team Pursuit.

She was provisionally suspended as of July 22 and did not take part in the time trials (ITT) organized that day near the Cisco Pan Am Velodrome in Milton, Ont. where she was the defending woman's champion, and her absence raised eyebrows.

She will not take part in the road race on July 25. It is unclear at this time if Calle Williams will request the testing of a B sample.

Calle Williams won bronze in the women's Points Race at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, becoming the first Colombian to win an Olympic medal in cycling according to Wikipedia. She was later forced to return the medal after testing positive for the banned stimulant heptaminol, but contested the result to the Court of Arbitration in Sport (CAS) and won on the appeal.

At the 2011 Pan American Games' ITT in Guadalajara, Mexico, Calle won gold with a time of 28:04.82; she was 43 at the time. Evelyn Garcia (El Salvador) finished second in that race and Laura Brown (CAN) finished third.

Back

Melissa "Missy" Giove

Missy forged the path for mainstream professional downhill mountain bikers around the globe. A serious force of nature, Missy (42) did not earn her nickname The Missile for nothing.

... to read more click here

Jane Eccles


In 2005, a few days after giving birth, Jane and her family were told she had just hours to live. She had contracted Necrotising Fasciitis (NF) and it was very quickly ripping through her body.

Thankfully their prognosis was not correct, but for Jane this was only the first battle of many. Extensive surgery was required to get rid of the NF, one which involved the removal of her abdominal muscles. As she lay in intensive care, it was becoming clear that her physical ability would never be the same again.

... to read the rest click here

Tara Llane

Tara Liane's incredible story is not one of how she became paralyzed crashing in a downhill mountain bike race back in 2007 but rather one of determination, drive and the positivity.

The four-time national bike champion may have lost the use of her legs but she is living proof that you can always come back fighting and if you have the will, energy and competitive spirit can help you to achieve what others would deem impossible.

... to read more click here

Eileen Gray

One of the pioneers and champions of women's racing is Eileen Gray. It's a name that might not be familiar to many, but the incredible vision and hard work of this woman made a significant contribution to establishing women's cycle racing on the national and international stage.

... to read more click here