Colombia secured its 23rd world title in speed skating and extended its winning streak to 16 consecutive championships at the World Skate Games in Asuncion, Paraguay, on Oct. 18. The national team finished the competition with 18 gold medals, 14 silver and six bronze, according to the Colombian Skating Federation, after adding road-race medals to its strong performance on the track.
National team manager Elias del Valle guided a 28-skater squad to victory. Colombia’s performance featured multiple world records from Kollin Castro, sprint victories by Santiago Vasquez and Jhon Tascon, and a final gold medal from Jhoana Viveros in the women’s marathon.
Colombia had already secured the track title on Oct. 14 with 13 gold, eight silver and four bronze medals. Dominating the road events extended the team’s lead and secured yet another title for Colombia, which has won every senior speed skating world championship since 2011.
Kollin Castro sets two world records and wins three gold medals
Kollin Castro stood out as one of Colombia’s top performers in Asuncion, winning three gold medals and breaking two world records during the track events.
The 21-year-old from Valle del Cauca broke the world record in the women’s 500 meters plus distance, clocking 42.951 seconds. She later lowered the world mark in the 1,000-meter sprint to 1:24.751, surpassing the previous record of 1:26.172 set by Taiwan’s Yang Ho-Chen at the 2021 world championships in Ibague, Colombia.
Castro won gold in both individual events and added a third title as part of Colombia’s senior women’s 3,000-meter relay team. Yicel Giraldo, Gabriela Rueda, Maria Alzate and Castro won the relay in 4:11.191, ahead of Ecuador and India.
She also claimed silver in the women’s one-lap race, finishing just behind gold medalist Ivonne Nochez of El Salvador.
Colombia’s sprint success extended to the men’s events. Santiago Vasquez stormed to victory in the senior men’s 200-meter time trial after shattering the world record with a 17.108-second qualifying run. Jhon Tascon also claimed gold in the senior men’s 500 meters plus distance, finishing in 40.813 seconds.
In the women’s 200-meter time trial, Castro won gold and Geiny Pajaro took silver, giving Colombia the top two places. The results reinforced the team’s strength across the shortest events and longer sprint races.
Distance specialists and junior skaters add titles
Colombia also collected gold medals in distance races, where skaters must manage positioning and pace over longer events.
Gabriela Rueda won the senior women’s 5,000-meter points race and the 10,000-meter elimination. In the junior women’s category, Mariana Imitola won the 5,000-meter points race, and Manuela Rodriguez took the 10,000-meter elimination title. Imitola finished second in the elimination event, completing another Colombian one-two.
Kevin Lenis won the senior men’s 15,000-meter elimination, with Juan Jacobo Mantilla taking silver. Paraguay’s Julio Mirena finished third. In the junior men’s race, Juan Manuel Chaux secured the title.
The junior team also contributed sprint gold medals. Emanuel Ramos won the junior men’s 200-meter time trial, while Gisell Caicedo claimed the junior women’s 500 meters plus distance. These victories helped Colombia maintain a broad medal count across both age categories.
The women’s relays added another pair of titles. Alongside the senior team’s victory, the junior quartet of Manuela Rodriguez, Mariana Bonet, Manuela Saldarriaga and Gisell Caicedo won the 3,000-meter relay ahead of Ecuador and India.
Jhoana Viveros closes the championship with marathon gold
Colombia’s final speed skating gold came in the women’s marathon, where Jhoana Viveros won the title on the last day of competition. The road-race victory helped bring the team’s final tally to 18 gold, 14 silver and six bronze medals.
The marathon also completed a notable Colombian podium sweep, with the national team taking all three medals in the women’s event. That result added to the country’s collection from the road races after the track program had already put Colombia firmly ahead in the speed skating standings.
The final medal count differed from the Colombian Olympic Committee’s earlier report, which listed 17 gold, 13 silver and five bronze medals. That tally reflected the results reported before the marathon and the final road events were complete.
Colombia finished second in the overall World Skate Games medal table, behind Italy, which led the multisport competition. The speed skating title was a separate championship within the Games, which also featured artistic skating, skateboarding, inline hockey and other roller sports.
For del Valle and the 28-skater squad, the Asuncion result reinforced Colombia’s status as a leading force in international speed skating. The team combined individual records, relay victories and marathon success to close another dominant championship campaign.