Valledupar 2026: Para athletics preview, stars to watch and how to follow

The Para South American Games will be held in Valledupar, Colombia from 12 to 15 July, featuring Para athletics competition across four days and awarding 80 gold medals at the Jose Luis Parada Athletics Stadium. Colombia's delegation will be headlined by two-time Paralympic champion Karen Palomeque, who won gold in the women's 100m and 400m T38 at Paris 2024 and two golds at the 2025 New Delhi World Championships, alongside fellow Paris 2024 gold medalists Jhon Obando and Mauricio Valencia. This is the second edition of the Para South American Games, returning 12 years after the inaugural event in Santiago, Chile, with strong delegations also expected from Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, and Venezuela.