Of the six gold medals contested so far, the national delegation has secured five—along with two silver medals—in a performance that reaffirms the standing of its cyclists on the continent.
Among the standout figures is Lina Marcela Hernández from Antioquia, who claimed her second gold of the games—this time in the omnium—successfully defending the title she won four years ago in Asunción, Paraguay. She won with 156 points, finishing ahead of Venezuela’s Verónica Abreu (128) and Argentina’s Julieta Benedetti (127).
“Honestly, I felt great from the very first event,” the cyclist told the media. Beyond her competitive success, she has become a unique chronicler of the Colombian delegation’s daily life during these Olympic-cycle games.
Beyond her athletic achievements, Lina Marcela—who also won silver in the road race—has taken it upon herself to show fans a different side of the competition. Using her phone, she captures moments and details from the Athletes’ Village that usually don’t make it into broadcasts, offering a glimpse into how athletes live when they aren’t competing.
She previously did this during the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo and is now repeating the experience in Argentina. There, she has also starred on the track, winning gold in the team pursuit alongside Luciana Osorio, Elizabeth Castaño, and Camila Valbuena; together, they set a national record with a time of 4 minutes, 23.037 seconds.
“This venue is spectacular—it’s excellent, a world-class velodrome. I’m very happy after spending several days in Rafaela; we’re in great form. Staying tuned to the coaches’ instructions has been key to achieving these performances,” Hernández stated. The cyclist from Antioquia faces another challenge this Wednesday, this time in the madison—an event where she is the reigning Central American champion alongside Elizabeth Castaño. She will aim to add to her medal tally on a track that has proven favorable to her so far.
Quintero and Ortega take 1st and 2nd
Colombia also reaffirmed its dominance in the men’s individual sprint. Kevin Quintero and Cristian Ortega secured a one-two finish for the national team in a final where the rider from Valle del Cauca won the two decisive heats.
Ortega had posted the fastest time in the 200-meter qualifying round—9.657 seconds—while Quintero was second with 9.768. This situation forced the Colombian champion to adjust his strategy for the decisive matchups.
“Cristian had a better qualifying run in the 200 meters. It forced me to change my racing tactics, but I’m very happy that we both made the podium and heard the national anthem; now it’s just a matter of resting and focusing on the keirin event,” Quintero said.
Track cycling continues in Rafaela with new events and further opportunities for the Colombian team to expand its medal haul at the Santa Fe 2026 South American Games. On Wednesday, Colombia will compete in the men’s omnium final with Juan Esteban Arango, and in the women’s sprint with Stefany Cuadrado, Juliana Gaviria, and Manuela Loaiza.
Source: www.elcolombiano.com