Para-Athlete From Tulum Seeks Support to Represent Mexico at International Competition

Tulum, Quintana Roo — Iliana Poot Navarrete, a three-time national champion in shot put, is calling on authorities, businesses, and the public to help raise funds for her participation in the World Para Athletics Grand Prix, a major international event for adaptive sports.

The athlete needs approximately 50,000 pesos (about $2,500 USD) to cover expenses for the competition, which will take place in Tlaxcala. This will be her second time representing Tulum on an international stage.

“My goal is to continue representing Tulum, Quintana Roo, and Mexico with pride in national and international competitions,” Poot said. “To achieve this, I need to gather the resources to attend this event and continue my athletic preparation.”

Poot competes in the F32 classification, where she has established herself as one of Mexico’s top athletes in throwing events. She won consecutive national shot put titles in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and has earned multiple medals in club throw competitions.

She trains under coach Antonio Andrade Arroyo, focusing on improving her marks and performance at the international level. At the 2025 World Para Athletics Grand Prix, she placed fourth in her category and aims to improve on that result this year.

Poot highlighted that a lack of funding remains a major challenge for many high-performance athletes, especially in Paralympic disciplines, where travel, accommodation, food, and logistics costs place a heavy burden on competitors and their families. She urged the private sector, sports authorities, and the general public to support her effort.