Biography
Started: He took up the sport at age 14 in 2012 in Bucaramanga, Colombia. (Athlete, 26 Aug 2024)
Reason: "I always liked the water but could not swim, so my mother put me on a [swimming] course. On the last day the coach Luis Carlos Calderon saw me with my short stature and invited me to swim with other athletes." (Athlete, 10 Sep 2019)
Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (elespectador.com, 11 Dec 2021)
Milestones: He became the first Colombian athlete from any sport to win more than one Paralympic gold medal when he triumphed in the men's SB7 100m breaststroke at the 2020 Games in Tokyo, having previously won gold in the same event at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. (SportsDeskOnline, 02 Jul 2024)
At the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo he and fellow swimmer Nelson Crispin both took their career Paralympic medal tally to seven, the most of any Colombian athlete from any sport. (SportsDeskOnline, 02 Jul 2024)
Awards: He and cyclist Paula Ossa were named as flag bearers for Colombia for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (cpc.org.co, 06 Aug 2024)
He was named 2023 Male Para Athlete of the Year by the Colombian Paralympic Committee. (cpc.org.co, 14 Dec 2023)
He was named 2023 Para Athlete of the Year in the Santander department of Colombia by the Colombian Association of Sports Journalists [ACORD]. (elfrente.com.co, 21 Dec 2023)
He won the Top Overall Male Athlete award at the 2022 World Series Awards in Mexico. (World Para Swimming Facebook page, 28 Nov 2022; swimmingworldmagazine.com, 25 Nov 2022)
In 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2021 he was named Para Athlete of the Year by the Colombian newspaper El Espectador. (elespectador.com, 06 Dec 2021, 14 Dec 2019; Instagram profile, 04 Dec 2018; paralympic.org, 23 Dec 2016)
He was named the 2015 Sportsperson of the Year by Colombian newspaper Vanguardia. (vanguardia.com, 29 Feb 2016)
He was flag bearer for Colombia at the closing ceremony of the 2015 Parapan American Games in Toronto, ON, Canada. (paralympic.org, 15 Aug 2015)
Sporting Relatives: His aunt Mayerli Buitrago has represented Colombia in Para athletics. She won silver in the F41 shot put at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (Athlete, 26 Aug 2024; SportsDeskOnline, 27 Aug 2024)
Frequently Asked Questions
Personal Details
GenderMale
Birth DateAugust 17, 1998
Place of ResidenceBUCARAMANGA
OccupationAthlete
EducationPhysical Education - Technological Units Santander [UTS], Bucaramanga, COL
Languages SpokenSpanish
CoachLuis Carlos Calderon [national]
Highlights
| Rank | Event | Year | Location | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paralympic Games | ||||
| 1 | 100m Breaststroke - SB7 | 2020 | Tokyo, JPN | 1:12.01 |
| 1 | 100m Breaststroke - SB7 | 2016 | Rio de Janeiro, BRA | 1:12.50 |
| 2 | 50m Freestyle - S7 | 2020 | Tokyo, JPN | 27.84 |
| 2 | 100m Freestyle - S7 | 2016 | Rio de Janeiro, BRA | 1:01.84 |
| 3 | 200m Individual Medley - SM7 | 2020 | Tokyo, JPN | 2:31.58 |
| 3 | 50m Butterfly - S7 | 2020 | Tokyo, JPN | 29.34 |
| 3 | 50m Freestyle - S7 | 2016 | Rio de Janeiro, BRA | 28.60 |
| 4 | 200m Individual Medley - SM7 | 2016 | Rio de Janeiro, BRA | 2:37.08 |
| 4 | 400m Freestyle - S7 | 2016 | Rio de Janeiro, BRA | 4:57.29 |
| 4 | 50m Butterfly - S7 | 2016 | Rio de Janeiro, BRA | 31.07 |
| World Championships | ||||
| 1 | 100m Breaststroke - SB8 | 2023 | Manchester, GBR | 1:10.32 |
| 1 | 100m Breaststroke - SB7 | 2022 | Funchal, POR | 1:11.62 |
| 1 | 200m Individual Medley - SM7 | 2022 | Funchal, POR | 2:31.45 |
| 1 | 100m Breaststroke - SB7 | 2019 | London, GBR | 1:11.31 |
| 1 | 100m Freestyle - S7 | 2019 | London, GBR | 1:01.49 |
| 1 | 200m Individual Medley - SM7 | 2019 | London, GBR | 2:31.11 |
| 1 | 100m Breaststroke - SB7 | 2017 | Mexico City, MEX | 1:17.11 |
| 1 | 100m Freestyle - S7 | 2017 | Mexico City, MEX | 1:03.46 |
| 1 | 200m Individual Medley - SM7 | 2017 | Mexico City, MEX | 2:39.14 |
| 1 | 50m Butterfly - S7 | 2017 | Mexico City, MEX | 30.94 |
| 1 | 50m Freestyle - S7 | 2017 | Mexico City, MEX | 28.79 |
| 1 | 100m Breaststroke - SB7 | 2015 | Glasgow, GBR | 1:16.68 |
| 2 | 200m Individual Medley - SM7 | 2023 | Manchester, GBR | 2:29.62 |
| 2 | 50m Butterfly - S7 | 2023 | Manchester, GBR | 29.28 |
| 2 | 50m Freestyle - S7 | 2023 | Manchester, GBR | 27.79 |
| 2 | 50m Butterfly - S7 | 2022 | Funchal, POR | 29.38 |
| 2 | 50m Freestyle - S7 | 2022 | Funchal, POR | 28.23 |
| 3 | 100m Freestyle - S7 | 2023 | Manchester, GBR | 1:02.73 |
| 3 | 100m Freestyle - S7 | 2022 | Funchal, POR | 1:01.25 |
| 3 | 50m Butterfly - S7 | 2019 | London, GBR | 29.96 |
| 3 | 400m Freestyle - S7 | 2017 | Mexico City, MEX | 5:15.62 |
| 5 | 50m Freestyle - S7 | 2019 | London, GBR | 28.15 |
| 5 | 400m Freestyle - S7 | 2015 | Glasgow, GBR | 5:12.76 |
| 6 | 50m Freestyle - S7 | 2015 | Glasgow, GBR | 29.84 |
| 8 | 200m Individual Medley - SM7 | 2015 | Glasgow, GBR | DSQ |
| 9 | 100m Backstroke - S7 | 2023 | Manchester, GBR | 1:20.69 |
| DNS | 100m Freestyle - S7 | 2015 | Glasgow, GBR | DNS |
| ParaPan American Games | ||||
| 1 | 100m Breaststroke - SB8 | 2023 | Santiago, CHI | 1:11.05 |
| 1 | 100m Freestyle - S8 | 2023 | Santiago, CHI | 1:00.97 |
| 1 | 200m Individual Medley - SM7 | 2023 | Santiago, CHI | 2:31.64 |
| 1 | 50m Freestyle - S7 | 2023 | Santiago, CHI | 27.49 |
| 2 | 50m Butterfly - S7 | 2023 | Santiago, CHI | 29.44 |
| 3 | 4x100m Freestyle Relay - 34 Points | 2023 | Santiago, CHI | 4:23.03 |
| 3 | 4x100m Medley Relay - 34 Points | 2023 | Santiago, CHI | 4:50.71 |
| 4 | 400m Freestyle - S7 | 2023 | Santiago, CHI | 5:05.53 |
| 5 | 100m Backstroke - S8 | 2023 | Santiago, CHI | 1:15.26 |
