With one Silver and one Bronze medal, these games were Colombia’s second best in history. Only at Munich 1972 there were more medals: One Silver and two Bronze.
The only Gold medal so far was won by weightlifter María Isabel Urrutia at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
Diego Fernando Salazar became a national hero with his Silver medal at weightlifting, the 62 kg category to be precise. Born in Tuluá, Valle del Cauca, Salazar lifted a total 302 kilograms to take an impressive second place.
And Caleña Jackeline Rentería secured Colombia’s second medal, and the country’s first ever at wrestling. Rentería beat Romanian Ana Paval for Bronze in the 55 kg category.
Several others achieved good results as well. Track cyclist María Luisa Calle finished fourth at the Points Race and Andrés Jiménez impressed with a fourth place in the Men’s BMX final. Another fourth spot went to weightlifter Leidy Solis.
Of the 68 men and women that represented Colombia at these Olympics, fifteen participated in athletics events while ten dedicated themselves to weightlifting. Track cycling had six Colombian participants.
With the two medals earned this year, Colombia’s total amount increases to eleven. Three of these were won at weightlifting, another three at boxing and two at shooting, while athletics, cycling and wrestling all saw one Colombian medal.
Colombia finished shared 65th on the Medal Table, with Algeria, the Bahamas, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco and Tajikistan, but ahead of neighbouring countries Ecuador and Venezuela.
Of the traditional South American countries, only Brazil (23rd) and Argentina (34th) finished higher.
With this year’s Olympics finished, Colombia’s athletes will now have to start preparing for London, 2012.
