Who is Angel Barajas Gymnast: Colombian Olympic Medalist

Greatness is not measured by age, and Angel Barajas demonstrated this at the Bercy Arena in the final event of the High Bar of Artistic Gymnastics, where he narrowly missed out on the gold that was won by the Japanese Shinnosuke Oka, who, despite having the same score as the Colombian, beat him for first place by scoring more in the execution. He began his passion for this sport at the age of 4, and 13 years later, he receives the award for a life of sacrifice and love for gymnastics.

When it seemed that Colombia would leave the Olympic Games without a medal, the second youngest member of the delegation appeared to confirm his status and show the world, who did not know him, that there is a talent in South American gymnastics that stands out on the podium of the Bercy Arena with a silver medal that breaks the drought that the country had.

Pocho fulfills his dream and surpasses his hero, Jossimar Calvo.

This is what his family, friends, and relatives call him. Before coming to the Games, Pocho had said that his dream was to win an Olympic medal, and he achieved it in his first participation. He was born in Cucuta on August 12, 2006, and is now close to reaching the age of majority. He became great before his time with a spectacular routine in the final of the High Bar that left him with a score of 14.533.

His mother, Angelica Maria Vivas, believed in him since he was little and supported him to see him triumph today in Paris. She assured 6AM Hoy por Hoy on Caracol Radio that Angel trained at home and that as a child he often watched the children’s program “Lazy Town,” where he fostered his love for gymnastics.

“Since he was little, Angel admired Jossimar Calvo; he saw him as a role model,” said the gymnast’s mother, who has as a hero the man who also reached the final of artistic gymnastics at the 2016 Rio Games, although he did so in the all-around category.

Angel Barajas’ achievements

He qualified for the Olympics through the 2024 FIG World Cup, where he earned 71 points to reach Paris. He is also a four-time medalist at the 2023 Junior World Championships, where he won gold on the parallel bars, silver in the all-around competition, and bronze on the high bar. Barajas is also the first Colombian gymnast to win a junior world championship in this discipline.

His coach, Jairo Ruiz Casas, has been instrumental in getting him onto the Olympic podium today. Angel trains from 7 in the morning until noon. Then, from 1 in the afternoon until 3 pm, he adds the two gym routines he does plus the study he does virtually. The sacrifices that reward him with a historic silver medal for Colombia.