Cali 2026 GP: Paralympic stars shine as curtain falls on Grand Prix season

Some of the Americas’ biggest Paralympic and world champions delivered memorable performances in Cali as the 2026 World Para Athletics Grand Prix season came to an exciting close in Colombia.

Three-time Paralympic champion Sherman Guity continued his impressive form with a sprint double, while home star Karen Palomeque Moreno, Ecuador’s Kiara Rodriguez and Argentina’s Brian Lionel Impellizzeri were among the familiar names shining at the Estadio Internacional de Atletismo Pedro Grajales.

A total of 327 athletes from 26 nations were entered for the four-day Grand Prix, which brought the curtain down on the 13th season of the World Para Athletics Grand Prix.

All results from the Cali 2026 Grand Prix can be found here.

Guity completes sprint double

Costa Rica's Guity continued his outstanding Grand Prix season with two more victories in Cali to pull off another impressive finish to the season.

He opened his campaign by racing to the men’s 100m T64 gold in 10.64 seconds, just 0.03 outside the world record of 10.61 he equalled at the Tlaxcala Grand Prix in July.

Guity, who made history at Tokyo 2020 by winning Costa Rica’s first-ever Paralympic gold medal, returned to the track to complete the sprint double in the men’s 200m T64, crossing the line in 21.34 to finish ahead of Peru’s Jesus Castillo.

Costa Rica also celebrated success on the final day through Laurens Molina Sibaja, who won the men’s 800m T54 in 1:49.66, ahead of compatriot Daniel Fajardo Somarribas (1:53.64). He also took a bronze in the men’s 400m T54.

Among other international stars, Ecuador’s double Paris 2024 champion Kiara Rodriguez lived up to her billing in the women’s 100m T46, racing to gold in 12.38. She finished ahead of Josefa Isidora Lopez Gonzalez (12.86) who went on to clinch the women’s 200m T46 in 27.05s.

Rodriguez, the world record holder in the women’s 200m T46 and women's long jump T46, arrived in Cali following a hat-trick of titles at the Valledupar 2026 Para South American Games, also held in Colombia. Earlier this year, she was nominated for the Laureus World Sports Awards following her achievements in 2025.

Impressive performances

Argentina’s reigning Paralympic champion Brian Lionel Impellizzeri also finished his Grand Prix campaign on top.

The two-time world champion leaped to a distance of 6.28m in the men’s long jump T37 to finish ahead of Colombia’s Gesmer Osneider Ochoa Hernandez (5.18m) and Brazil’s Ryan Pablo Brito de Oliveira (5.10m).

Mexico made it to the top of podium through Paris 2024 bronze medallist Rosa Maria Guerrero Cazares, who took the women’s discus throw F55 gold with an effort of 27.81m.

Maria De Los Angeles Ortiz Hernandez, the Rio 2016 and London 2012 champion, led the way in the women’s shot put F57, winning with an effort of 10.35m; while Paris 2024 bronze medallist Osiris Aneth Machado Plata topped the women’s shot put F63 with a throw of 10.20m.

Dominican Republic’s Darlenys de la Cruz Severino, a Kobe 2024 Worlds medallist, completed a hat-trick of titles in Cali after she won the women’s 100m T11, 200m T11 and 400m T11 events. 

Home stars shine

The home crowd had plenty to celebrate as Colombia’s double Paralympic champion Palomeque was once again at the centre of the action.

The women's 100m T38 produced an exciting all-Colombian contest as New Delhi 2025 world champion Angie Nicoll Mejia crossed the line first in 12.04, ahead of Palomeque on 12.18. 

With the latest result, Nicoll Mejia also maintained her dominance in the women’s 100m event - the 17-year-old’s surprise victory over Palomeque at the Para South American Games in Valledupar was one of the highlights earlier this season.

Palomeque, however, returned strongly in the women’s 200m T38, racing to victory in 24.99 – just 0.01 outside the world record she set at the New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships.

Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Angie Pabon Mamian was another Colombian celebrating on home soil as she took the women’s 200m T11 title in 26.02 seconds.

Pabon Mamian led a Colombian sweep of the podium, with Francesca Esther Pereira Marrugo second in 26.81 and Vileidy Toro Rodas third in 26.83.

The four days of competition in Cali provided a fitting end to the WPA Grand Prix season, which took athletes across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.