By Carmen Pacheco / Venezuelan Paralympic Committee (COPAVEN).
Valledupar, May 15, 2026. Time has passed, but Venezuelan Para-athlete Juan Ramón Valladares’ competitive edge remains intact. Twelve years after winning the gold medal in the T54 5,000 meters at the 1st Parasur American Games in Santiago in 2014, the athlete is preparing to compete once again in the regional games and seek another continental title, this time in Valledupar 2026.
The historic result in Santiago 2014 made Valladares one of the first Parasur American champions in history. In that final held on March 28, 2014, the Venezuelan took first place in the event with a time of 11:42, easily beating Colombians Javier Rojas, who clocked 12:02, and Edisson Martínez, who rounded out the podium with a distant 12:44, in a race that marked the beginning of a career filled with perseverance and international achievements for the Venezuelan Para-athlete.
Now, at 45, the athlete from Boconó, Trujillo state (the Andes region of Venezuela), maintains the same competitive drive that led him to win gold more than a decade ago.
His sights are set on Valledupar 2026, where he will seek to reaffirm his level in the 800- and 1,500-meter events in the T54 classification: “We have high expectations for these games. Something that drives me to give my all is to defend my championship title,” Valladares said in statements provided to the Venezuelan Paralympic Committee (COPAVEN).
Continental Relevance
The Venezuelan para-athlete continues to train through rigorous preparation sessions with his coach, Elavit Asmard, with the goal of remaining competitive at the continental high-performance level and setting his sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games.
“If you believe it, you can achieve it” is the motto guiding Valladares’ training, and he added that he is working to improve his times in both distances.
For Valledupar 2026, the organizing committee made adjustments to some events in the competition program, which is why the athlete will focus his participation on the T54 800- and 1,500-meter races, as well as the universal relay.
Para Athletics at Valledupar 2026
Para athletics at the II Valledupar 2026 Parasur American Games will take place from July 12 to 15 on the certified track (Mondo Class II) at the José Luis Parada Stadium, located in the La Gota Fría High-Performance Complex, one of the flagship venues of the multisport event that officially opens the Paralympic Cycle leading up to Los Angeles 2028.
During the Para athletics competition days, 81 gold medals will be awarded in various functional classifications and events on the official program. Among them will be the T54 800- and 1,500-meter races, events in which Juan Valladares will attempt to write a new golden chapter in the history of the continental Paralympic movement.
