Panama heads to Santa Fe 2026 with 90 athletes aiming to improve on Asunción performance

Panama will take 90 athletes to the South American Games in Santa Fe, Argentina, with the delegation targeting a stronger performance than it delivered in Asunción four years ago.

The Games will run from Sept. 12 to 26, 2026, and Panamanian athletes will compete in 20 disciplines. Five Olympians lead the delegation, including hurdler Gianna Woodruff, who arrives as one of the country’s main medal hopes.

Woodruff recently won the 400-meter hurdles at the Santo Domingo Central American and Caribbean Games in 53.98 seconds. That performance set a Games record and became the event’s first sub-54-second time. Her season-best mark is 53.58 seconds, recorded at the Diamond League’s Golden Gala in Rome.

The other Olympians are swimmer Tyler Christianson, cyclist Franklin Archibold, gymnast Hillary Heron and judoka Kristine Jiménez. They will be joined by recent Santo Domingo medalists including judoka Némesis Candelo, gymnast Alyiah Lide and 3,000-meter steeplechase runner Didier Rodríguez.

Lide, 17, became Panama’s leading medal winner in Santo Domingo after taking individual gold in balance beam and floor exercise, plus a team silver. Chamar Chambers and taekwondo athlete Daniela Rodríguez will return to defend South American titles won in Asunción.

According to the Panamanian Olympic Committee, the delegation’s main goal is to improve on Panama’s Asunción total of three gold medals, one silver and eight bronze. Panama finished 11th among 14 countries at those Games and is the only Central American country competing in this edition.

Panama will enter only men’s football among the team sports. Its best historical finish was eighth place at Valencia 1994, while its largest medal haul came in Brazil 2002, when it won 12 medals.