Mariana Pajón reigned supreme once again, though this time far from the BMX ramps. The Antioquia native was part of the Colombian team that won gold in the women’s team sprint at the Santa Fe 2026 South American Games, held at the Invencible Velodrome in Rafaela, Argentina.
The Olympic champion—a global BMX legend boasting 18 world titles and three Olympic medals—returned to international competition after becoming a mother to Théo Pelluard, born on November 28, 2025. Her comeback had actually begun in July at the National Track Championships in Cali, where she also secured gold in the team sprint.
Now, on Argentine soil, she faced a new challenge in her athletic journey leading up to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Track cycling has become an alternative path for her, without implying she is abandoning BMX—the discipline in which she built her extraordinary record of achievements.
In Rafaela, Pajón competed in the team sprint qualifying round alongside the experienced Juliana Gaviria and Stefany Cuadrado—a rising star on the global track scene who is part of the “10 de 10” team (run by the Fraternidad Medellín Foundation and operated by the Mariana Pajón Foundation). The Colombian squad clocked a time of 49.088 seconds—the fastest of the round—securing a direct spot in the final.
For the gold-medal race, Mariana stepped aside to let Manuela Loaiza take her place. Cuadrado, Gaviria, and Loaiza completed the event in 48.263 seconds, defeating Argentina (who clocked 49.468) to claim the South American title.
In doing so, Pajón contributed to Colombia’s gold-medal victory and demonstrated her ability to adapt to a discipline different from the one where she has written so much of her history. This is not the first time the Antioquia native has ventured into track cycling. She previously won gold in the team sprint alongside Martha Bayona at the 2017 Bolivarian Games in Santa Marta.
“I’m happy to be here. This is something new for me, but it’s beautiful. Naturally, I had high expectations. These are my fourth South American Games, but my first in track cycling. So, it’s wonderful—especially the extra energy I got from my dad (Carlos Pajón) in the stands; it was great,” she said.
“Everything is new to me: the kit, the warm-up, wearing a different uniform and helmet, even the bike itself. It excites me and gives me a huge boost of motivation.”
The champion also dedicated the victory to her family and, especially, to Théo. “This win is for my son, my husband (Vincent, a BMX rider), and my family… for everyone who helped make it possible for me to be here. They are my driving force—a great team,” she stated.
Pajón also noted that the competition in Rafaela marked her final velodrome race of the year. Her next goal is to resume specific training for BMX.
“It felt really great riding on this type of track. It was like reinventing myself; it was a huge challenge, so I’m proud of the journey I’ve taken. That was my last velodrome race of the year, and starting next month, I’ll go back to training for BMX,” she remarked.
The possibility of competing in both disciplines at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games remains an open challenge for her. When asked about that prospect, she smiled and chose to remain cautious.
“It’s a big challenge—we’ll see. I think that right now, it’s one day at a time, one month at a time.” “I tell everyone that you have to listen to what your heart is telling you.”
Another gold and a national record
The day in Rafaela proved especially productive for Colombia, which secured three gold medals and one silver in the track cycling team events.
In the men’s team sprint, Rubén Murillo, Kevin Quintero, and Cristian Ortega triumphed with a time of 43.693 seconds, beating Venezuela, who clocked 43.813.
In the women’s team pursuit, the gold went to Luciana Osorio, Elizabeth Castaño, Marcela Hernández, and Camila Valbuena; they stopped the clock at 4 minutes, 23.037 seconds—a new national record, surpassing the previous mark of 4:24.964 (set at the 2023 Pan American Games). Chile finished second with 4:24.734, and Venezuela took third with 4:29.993.
With these results, Colombia reached a total of 39 gold, 37 silver, and 34 bronze medals at the Santa Fe 2026 South American Games, holding onto third place in the medal standings behind Brazil and Argentina.
For Pajón, however, the result holds special significance. After becoming a mother, she returned to competition, briefly swapping the ramps for the velodrome, and once again heard the Colombian anthem play from the top of the podium. “I’m giving it my all; I’m representing my country with emotion, a sense of responsibility, and pride.”
Fuente: www.elcolombiano.com