Cali 2025 GP Review: Karen Palomeque, Jose Gregorio Lemos lead world record party

Stunning performances, world records and raining of gold medals.

Cali’s Pedro Grajales Stadium witnessed it all as the Colombian city successfully hosted its first ever World Para Athletics Grand Prix over four days (16 to 19 May).

The event also marked the return of the Grand Prix to South America for the first time since 2019 and back-to-back events in Latin America after Jalisco in Mexico.

In the end, it was the home team who were on top of the standings – totalling 76 medals including 29 gold - led by world record performances.

The record-breakers 

With iconic names in their ranks, the Colombian team delivered as expected. Paris 2024 champions Karen Palomeque Moreno and Jose Gregorio Lemos set new world record in their respective events.

Palomeque Moreno, the double gold medallist at the Paralympics, ran the women's 200m T37/38 race in 25.07 seconds – enough to take the gold and break the T38 world record of Hungary's Luca Eckler (25.78) set in 2023.

The 31-year-old Colombian also took the top place in the women's 100m T37/T38 clocking 12.42, a race in which she is the reigning Paralympic champion and world record holder (12.26).

Palomeque Moreno also joined a one-two podium in the women's long jump T37/38 after her effort of 5.21m saw her finishing second behind 16-year-old compatriot Angie Mejia Morales - who set a new T38 Americas record (5.28m). 

The men’s field event was dominated by Lemos, the Paris 2024 and Tokyo 2020 champion in the men’s javelin throw F38. 

Competing in the men's shot put F37/38 finals, Rivas threw the shot put to a distance of 19.22m in his second attempt to clinch gold and better his own F38 world record (18.26m) held since the 2023 World Championships in Paris.

Levin Moreno Denis’ effort of 19.20m placed him second with another mark beyond the previous world record. 

In Rivas’ pet event - the men's javelin F38 – he led an all-Colombian podium with a throw of 52.72m.

Among other local stars, two-time Paralympic champion Mauricio Valencia’s effort of 12.01m in men's shot put F34 was enough to secure the gold and a new Americas record.

Another Paris 2024 champion, Jhon Obando Asprilla also started the season on a strong note – taking the gold in men's long jump T20 with 6.90m.

¡EL MOMENTO DE LA GLORIA ETERNA!

Esta son las imágenes de la prueba completa de Karen Palomeque en la que obtuvo la medalla de oro y el récord mundial de los 200m femenino en la clasificación T38 con un tiempo de 25.07 seg. pic.twitter.com/uAPsGAAhAT

— Cali 2025 World Para Athletics Grand Prix (@CaliGrandPrix) May 18, 2025

Triple joy for Rodriguez

Much like the local heroes, there were record breaking shows from Colombia’s neighbours. 

Ecuador’s double Paralympic champion Kiara Rodriguez started the season improving her own T46 world record in the women's long jump T46/47 event with a jump of 6.47m in the third attempt. 

She also emerged victorious in the women's 100m clocking 12.06, to finish ahead of USA’s five-time Paralympic medallist Brittni Mason (12.45). 

Rodriguez maintained her top form in the women’s 200m T46 race as well, taking the gold in 25.06 seconds ahead of Mason.

Brazil also had some victorious moments thanks to Kobe 2024 world champion Wanna Brito Oliveira, who lived up to her favourite status in the women’s shot put F32. She took gold with a throw of 7.29m adding to her gold in the women's club throw F32 (27.86m).

Their seasoned star Elizabeth Rodrigues Gomes also returned home as a double gold medallist thanks to her efforts in the women’s discus throw F53/54 (15.79m) and women's shot put F53-54 (7.17m).

Imagen

Blackwell, Guity shine 

USA’s two-time Paralympic champion Jaydin Blackwell also warned his rivals of his blazing form as he bettered his own record in the men’s 400m T38 racing in 48.49 seconds. 

Expectedly, he also was on the top of the podium in the men’s 100m T38 clocking 10.99. He holds the world record of 10.64.

Costa Rica’s Sherman Guity, the Paris 2024 champion in the men’s 100m and 200m T64, showed why he is the name to beat by winning both events in Cali with timings of 11.03 and 22.38, respectively.

Robiel Sol Cervantes - Cuba’s two-time Paralympic champion in Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 and world record holder - stole the show in the men’s long jump T47 with an effort of 7.69m.

Meanwhile, Pars 2024 bronze medallist Ulicer Aguilera Cruz brought more cheers to the Cuban team with his golden effort of 57.06m in the men's javelin throw F13. 

Complete results from the Cali 2025 GP can be found here.

You can also once again catch all the record-breaking action on YouTube.

What’s next? 

After the grand show in Cali, the Grand Prix will head to Europe and Africa for a few of its regular stops Nottwil (Switzerland), Paris (France) and Tunis (Tunisia).

Olomouc in Czechia will host the final Grand Prix of the season - first-ever All-women Grand Prix in early July.