Adriana Ruano wins gold for Guatemala in Paris 2024, becoming the first Olympic athlete from that country to take top spot, and the second in Central America.
Guatemala has secured its first ever Olympic gold medal, and Central America’s second. Earlier today, shooter Adriana Ruano won the gold medal in the Women’s Trap shooting, beating opponents from Italy and Australia to secure the win.
She joins Jean Pierre Brol, who took home the bronze medal yesterday in the men’s trap shooting. Ruano and Brol have given Guatemala its second and third medals, making Paris 2024 the biggest haul ever for a Guatemalan delegation.
These medals hike up the total won by Central America to ten (Costa Rica four, Panama three, and (now!) Guatemala three). The medal won by Ruano is the second gold ever by a Central American in Olympic history, following Costa Rican Claudia Poll’s swimming win at Atlanta 1996.
Coach: Go and break some records.
Adriana Ruano Oliva: Sure, watch me…Guatemala’s first ever Olympic gold medal ✅
Guatemala’s first ever Olympic medal won by a woman ✅
AND she aced all this with an #OlympicRecord ✅@COGuatemalteco | @issf_official | #ShootingSport |… pic.twitter.com/XZ9U8O9PbT— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) July 31, 2024
From Gymnastics to Shooting
Ruano took up shooting after leaving gymnastics as a child. As an artistic gymnast, she was good enough to be in contention for a spot on Guatemala’s Olympic team for London 2012, but a spinal injury ended those hopes, and she turned to other sports. She discovered shooting as a way of coping with the disappointment of retiring from gymnastics.
Ruano qualified for the Tokyo Games but had a disappointing placement. She doubled down on her efforts and made it back for the Paris Games. Now, she’s the first female Olympic champion in the nation’s history. In his second tweet in two days congratulating Guatemala athletes, President Arévalo said that Guatemala’s Olympic history is now “written in letters of gold,” thanks to Ruano.
La historia olímpica de Guatemala se escribe con letras de oro gracias a Adriana Ruano. Primera medalla olímpica para una mujer guatemalteca, primer oro para nuestro país.
¡Felicidades, Adriana! 🇬🇹🥇 pic.twitter.com/glneYos2ng
— Bernardo Arévalo (@BArevalodeLeon) July 31, 2024
Jean Pierre Brol Fulfilling the Family Legacy
Jean Pierre Brol made history yesterday by taking the bronze medal in the Men’s Trap shooting competition. The 41-year-old is the latest in a long line of family shooters. Brol’s father Fernando represented Guatemala in various competitions, and brothers Enrique and Herbert placed 10th and 20th in Rio 2016.
The double delight that Guatemalan shooters have given the nation is most welcome in a country wrought with social, economic, and political issues. With other Guatemalan athletes yet to compete, Guatemala could still yet add to the medal count before the Paris Games end.
The 2024 Paris Olympic Games are kicking off this week and we figured it would be a great idea to pay homage to the athletes representing Central America at the Olympics. Here’s our guide to your Central America Olympic athletes#OlympicGames https://t.co/8pm7rRoplg
— Central America Living (@VidaAmerica) July 24, 2024
Nestor Quixtan is a Canadian/Guatemalan economist, linguist, and writer. He lives in Guatemala City.
