The Costa Rican Para athletics delegation concluded its participation in the 2026 World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Cali with 21 medals, following four days of competition in Colombia.

The eight-member team won three gold medals, ten silver medals and eight bronze medals in a competition that brought together athletes from different countries in the Americas and other regions.

The Grand Prix took place from September 17 to 20 at the Pedro Grajales International Athletics Stadium in Cali. According to World Para Athletics, 327 athletes from 26 countries were entered for this final stop of the 2026 circuit.

Sherman Guity wins two gold medals

One of the Costa Rican delegation’s standout performances came from Sherman Guity, who won two gold medals in the T64 sprint events.

The athlete won the 100 metres in 10.64 seconds and later claimed victory in the 200 metres. World Para Athletics recorded a time of 21.34 seconds for the latter event.

With these two victories, Guity once again closed an international season with notable results. The Costa Rican athlete was Paralympic champion in Tokyo 2020 and, according to World Para Athletics, that victory represented Costa Rica’s first-ever Paralympic gold medal.

In July, during the Tlaxcala Grand Prix, Guity equalled the 100-metre T64 world record with a time of 10.61 seconds. In Cali, he once again finished first in the distance, just three hundredths of a second away from that mark.

Daniel Fajardo also reaches the top of the podium

Costa Rica’s third gold medal came from Daniel Fajardo.

The athlete won the 800 metres in the T54 category, corresponding to the events contested in racing tricycles, with a time of 1:53.64 according to World Para Athletics’ final report.

Fajardo also won silver medals during the tournament, further contributing to Costa Rica’s medal tally.

A delegation competing across different events

Beyond the three gold medals, the other members of the national team also reached the podium in different distances and disciplines.

Melissa Calvo won silver and bronze medals in the T13 sprint events. In the 100 metres, she recorded 13.36 seconds, which also represented a new personal best for the athlete.

Sophia Orozco, in the T37 category, also reached the podium in several sprint events. María José Martínez, in the T12 category, likewise won three bronze medals during the competition.

Laurens Molina contributed two silver medals and one bronze, while Amalia Ortuño won a silver medal in the discus throw. Dalessandro Abarca, meanwhile, added two bronze medals and set notable marks in the field events.

In total, the eight Costa Rican representatives finished the tournament with 21 medals: three gold, ten silver and eight bronze.

A Grand Prix featuring athletes from 26 countries

The 2026 edition of the Cali Grand Prix was the final stop of the World Para Athletics circuit for the season.

World Para Athletics reported that 327 athletes from 26 countries took part in the event, which was held over four days at the Pedro Grajales International Athletics Stadium.

The competition brought together Paralympic and world champions from different disciplines and categories. Among them were Sherman Guity, Colombia’s Karen Palomeque, Ecuador’s Kiara Rodríguez and Argentina’s Brian Lionel Impellizzeri.

For Costa Rica, Cali also marked the end of the 2026 season within this international circuit.

Closing the season with new goals

The participation in Cali comes at a time of preparation for the next international commitments in Para athletics.

In the case of Sherman Guity, the athlete said that his next objective is to begin preparing for 2027, a year that will include the World Para Athletics Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and the Lima Parapan American Games.

The result achieved in Cali leaves a total of 21 medals for the Costa Rican delegation and closes the World Para Athletics Grand Prix season with the country’s presence across different track and field events.

Beyond the medals, the participation gave eight Costa Rican athletes the opportunity to compete on an international stage alongside representatives from 25 other countries, as part of the global Para athletics circuit.

Sources

• World Para Athletics / International Paralympic Committee — official information on the Cali Grand Prix, participating athletes and countries, Sherman Guity’s results and the end of the 2026 Grand Prix season.
• World Para Athletics — official preview of the Cali 2026 Grand Prix and information on the Costa Rican delegation.
• La República — coverage of the Costa Rican delegation and results obtained during the competition.
• Diario Extra — final medal tally for Costa Rica.
• Teletica — individual results from Sherman Guity and Melissa Calvo.