November 2 2023
Miguel Ángel Rodríguez reached five consecutive Pan American Games, stepping onto the podium each time. Photo courtesy of COC.
The Bogotá native, a squash player, has reached five consecutive Pan American Games podiums, making him the Colombian athlete with the most medals in the history of these competitions.
Bogotá, November 2, 2023 - Squash player from Team Bogotá, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Forero, secured a historic silver medal at the Pan American Games Santiago 2023, becoming one of the few athletes on the continent to step onto the podium in five consecutive editions of the games.
Miguel Ángel, currently ranked 14th in the world, competed in the men's individual final against Peruvian Diego Elías (ranked 2nd in the PSA), falling 3-1 with set scores of 11-4, 7-11, 11-5, and 11-4, earning the silver medal while Elías claimed the gold.
The Bogotá native has been a medalist in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) 2007, Guadalajara (Mexico) 2011, Toronto (Canada) 2015, Lima (Peru) 2019, and now in Santiago de Chile 2023. With this medal in the southern hemisphere, Rodríguez solidified his position as the Colombian athlete with the most medals in the history of the Pan American Games, totaling 8 (4 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze). He secured gold in Rio 2007 in the team event (alongside Bernardo Samper and Javier Castilla), in Guadalajara 2011 in the individual category, in Toronto 2015 in the individual category, and in Lima 2019 in mixed doubles with Catalina Peláez.
With the silver in Santiago 2023, Rodríguez is now the highest-achieving Colombian athlete in the history of the Pan American Games.
He won the three silver medals in Lima 2019 (2) in men's singles and men's team, and in Santiago 2023 in men's singles, while the bronze was also obtained in men's singles in Rio 2007. Miguel Ángel surpassed the gymnast from Cúcuta, Jossimar Calvo, with whom he was tied, and who has a total of seven medals (divided into 4 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze), as well as weightlifter Ubaldina Valoyes (from the Team Bogotá), who has four golds (Santo Domingo 2003, Rio 2007, Guadalajara 2011, and Toronto 2015).
Source: Gobierno de Colombia - Instituto Distrital De Recreación Y Deporte - IDRD