Beginning in the 1932 Games, Colombia’s progress in the Olympics has been a form of inspiration in developing our country in many sports disciplines. Colombia first participated in the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles with only one athlete. Since then, Colombia’s participation has grown in a positive way to show how dedicated and skillful our athletes are. Weightlifter Helmut Bellingrodt won Colombia’s very first Olympic medal in 1972, winning a silver in a masculine 50m running target shooting. His win helped elevate the reputation of Colombian sports on the world stage. 

Over the years, our athletes could not be held from winning more and accomplishing greater things for their country. Maria Isabel Urrutia created history by taking the first-ever gold medal for Colombia in weightlifting in the year 2000. This motivated later generations of Colombian athletes. Another breakthrough was set in 2012 London Olympics when Mariana Pajón won a gold medal in BMX cycling and added to Colombia’s pride in the sporting world. For Colombia, the Rio 2016 Olympics were especially successful, with eight medals taken home, three golds from Mariana Pajón and the weightlifter Óscar Figueroa. 

There is tremendous hype and hope for our country as it goes into the next Olympics event. Some Colombian athletes are expected to defend their title like in BMX cycling, courtesy of Mariana Pajón, and Caterine Ibargüen in triple jump. Besides, other important athletes are expected to make their mark like Anthony Zambrano in athletics and Yuberjen Martínez in boxing. So, for this reason, the Colombian Olympic Committee has ensured that athletes receive all the resources necessary to be well-prepared to compete at the highest level. 

The upcoming Olympics present an opportunity for us to continue building our legacy as a nation and achieving greater success. Our nation hopes that the athletes will bring home medals, but above all that, unite and inspire Colombians through sports. Evidence of our commitment to developing future champions is the interest and investment in sports infrastructure. As Colombia sends its athletes to the world stage once again, this group carries the pride and hope of our nation, poised to make a mark in the world of sports.