Paris 2024: Ambitious Colombia expand their horizons
The first of our National Paralympic Committee previews highlights a South American nation on the rise 21 Aug 2024
Colombia’s steady and impressive progress in the Paralympic Games looks set to continue at Paris 2024. They will be represented by 77 athletes competing in Para archery, Para athletics, boccia, blind football, Para cycling, Para powerlifting, shooting Para sport, Para swimming, Para triathlon and wheelchair tennis.
It’s a significant increase from Tokyo 2020, where the team enjoyed great success. There, 61 athletes qualified and won a record-breaking 24 medals (three golds, seven silvers and 14 bronze).
“The Colombian government has invested more than 85 billion Colombian pesos (approximately 21.3 million dollars) in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games cycle,” said Natalia Calderón, sports director of the Colombian Paralympic Committee.
“The delegation and its coaches also receive incentives to motivate them to reach the podium. They will receive financial awards very similar to those offered to Olympic medallists.”
Athlete Jose Lemos (javelin F38) and swimmers Nelson Crispin (SM6 200m medley) and Carlos Daniel Serrano (SB7 100m breaststroke) were the three gold medal winners in Tokyo.
Serrano hopes for ‘Father’s Day’
Serrano, who only learned to swim when he was 14, won three medals at Rio 2016 including a first first gold medal in 36 years for Colombia, winning the men’s 100m breaststroke SB7 with a new world record.
He will be the hot favourite to defend his title and is determined to succeed with his children (Sara Luna and Daniel Matias Serrano) watching.
“Every time I go out, they watch me on TV,” Serrano, who will be flag bearer alongside cyclist Paula Ossa, said. “They don't quite understand yet, but they support me and they have already started swimming.
"Fatherhood has changed me 100 per cent because it changed my mentality. My way of living, sharing. Today, I share a lot with my family, a lot with the children. They don't separate from me.”
Reaching new audiences
Colombia’s grand plan for success will be boosted by television coverage of the Paralympics for the first time, as well as an app to download for results, schedules and athlete biographies. There will also be a WhatsApp group to keep fans up to date and social media channels as part of a strategy to increase the visibility of Paralympic sport.
“We are also going to have greater representation of women in the Games, and we are going to have more for youth athletes representing Colombia. So those goals are very important because they show the development that the country has had throughout history and throughout these four years,” said Calderon.
It is the fortunes on the field of play which will ultimately decide the success of the Games and Colombia has many potential medallists in their ranks.
Reasons to be optimistic
One of the favourites in Paris is sprinter Karen Palomeque, who starred at the Kobe 2024 World Championships. In Japan, Palomeque won 200m and 400m T38 gold, took silver in the 100m T38 and bronze in the long jump. She set a new world record in the 400m with a time of 59.4 - the only competitor to finish under a minute.
Other medal prospects include swimmer Maria Paula Barrera, who has been full of promise since she won two gold as a 14-year-old at the Santiago 2014 Parapan American Games. At the 2023 edition in the same city, she collected three gold and four bronze medals.
Paula Ossa (cycling) and John Obando (athletics) are also ones to watch.
More medals, more athletes, more growth
“In recent years we have had growth in Paralympic sports, since we have had more participation not only in Paralympic Games, but also Parapan American Games and sports championships,” said Calderon.
“Likewise, we created federations at the national level, which has allowed us to bring the sport to other territories and have greater expansion of Paralympic sport.
“We have more support from the Ministry of Sport, which allows us to participate in these events. And the Colombian Paralympic Committee has carried out projects to develop Paralympic sport at an early age.”
Three Games debuts
Colombia are competing in three sports for the first time at Paris 2024 - blind football, shooting Para sport and Para triathlon.
Triathlete Juan Esteban Giraldo is the world number 12 in the PTS2 category and will make history when he competes in Paris.
As a traditional football-loving nation, there is delight at the prospect of competing in blind football.
Brazil are the Invincibles of blind football and are aiming for a sixth consecutive gold medal at Paris 2024. But Colombia have already caught the eye with their build-up, winning the World Grand Prix in France.
Against France, Brazil, Thailand, Japan and China, the Colombians recorded three wins and two draws, finishing the championship undefeated in the perfect preparation for Paris.
