Colombian Sprinter Runs 9.85, Breaks South American Record

The roar inside Estadio Alfonso Galvis Duque on June 26, 2026, will echo across South America for years to come.

Ronal Longa, Colombia's fastest man, shattered the South American 100-meter record with a blistering 9.85-second sprint in front of his home crowd. The performance obliterated his previous personal best of 9.96 and broke Brazilian Erick Felipe Barbosa's continental record of 9.92.

The 9.85 time places Longa in the top 20 all-time worldwide and makes him the third-fastest man on the planet in 2026. Only Jamaica's Oblique Seville, who leads the world rankings at 9.82, has run faster this year.

But Longa didn't run alone in making history. Canada's Eliezer Adjibi finished second in 9.92, while Puerto Rico's Eloy Benítez claimed bronze in 9.98, marking the first time three Pan American athletes have broken 10 seconds in the same race.

"I had to push really hard because my teammates ran very well," Longa told Panam Sports moments after his win. He immediately sought out his coach Nelson Gutiérrez to snap a photo in front of the scoreboard displaying his record time.

The victory also secured Longa automatic qualification to the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima. "It meant so much to do this at home, in front of family, friends and fans," he said.

Why This Inspires

Longa's record sparked a golden night for Colombia that few host nations ever experience. The home team claimed seven total medals on opening night alone, including three silver and three bronze across throwing events and distance running.

In the women's discus, Yerlin del Carmen Mesa took silver with 55.92 meters while Isabella Hitas added bronze. Shot putter Ronal Grueso cleared 19 meters to claim bronze in his event. Distance runner Carlos Sanmartín secured silver in the men's 5,000 meters with a time of 14:46.00.

The opening day delivered 12 gold medals across track and field events, with athletes from Cuba, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Peru, and Puerto Rico joining Colombia on the podium. Every winner earned direct entry to next year's Pan American Games.

Day two of the championship brings 11 more gold medals, with semifinals scheduled in the 400-meter hurdles, 200 meters, and 100-meter hurdles before afternoon finals.

The purple track in Medellín proved the perfect stage for continental records and hometown heroics to meet.