Ciudad de México MEX - 2004 Olympic women’s 400m silver medallist Ana Gabriela Guevara opened her 2007 season with a 51.01 seconds win on Saturday (24) on the same track here where she claimed her first national junior title.

Unchallenged, the three-time World Championships medallist posted a comfortable win at the Capitan Arroyo local meet, held on the Wilfredo Ruiz Massieu track of the National Polytechnic Institute stadium.

She was followed by her training partners Gabriela Medina (52.03) and Nallely Vela (53.56), who both set personal bests.

A week earlier, she ran a 51.03 second training test before her official season’s debut.

“I felt well and happy. I hope to run faster next week in Toluca, around 50 seconds, with the aid of the high altitude”, said the 2003 World champion.

Guevara plans to continue her competitive campaign next Sunday (4 March) in Toluca, coinciding with her 30th birthday. She is scheduled to compete in Havana, Cuba, 8 – 9 March to end the first part of her training programme.

“I have enjoyed my 30 years. I have taken a good path. I won the national junior titles at 400m and 800m 11 years ago. I am happier than nostalgic, because I never thought I could have gone that far in the sport.”

Guevara aims to become the first woman to claim three consecutive Pan America Games gold medals over 400m, after winning in Winnipeg´99 and Santo Domingo’03.

According to her coach, Cuba-Mexican Raul Barreda, the European meets are not a priority this year. “Our most important thing is to arrive in Rio de Janeiro in good shape and stay fit for the World Champs in Osaka”.

On her main pupil turning 30, Barreda believes that sprinters can achieve their best results when they are 26-30. “But age does not matter when you are hungry to win and stay on the track.” And she is.

Guevara can stay around for a while, even until the 2012 Olympics. She still has a lot to deliver”.

As in the past four years, Guevara will host a NACAC-permit, the 2007 Banamex Grand Prix, in Xalapa, Veracruz, on 5 May.

The men’s race at Saturday’s Capitan Arroyo local meet was taken by two-time CAC Games 200m champion Juan Pedro Toledo, who clocked 47.50.