The Bolivarian Games are a multidisciplinary sporting event belonging to the Olympic cycle, which takes place at an international-regional level every four years among the Bolivarian nations, those that have achieved their independence thanks to the liberator Simón Bolívar.
The competitions are attended by Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela, along with other countries invited since 2013, including Chile, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Paraguay and El Salvador.
The 2022 edition has been taking place since 24 June 2022 in Valledupar, Colombia and will end on 5 July.
Today 1 July the two walking events on the distance of 20km took place in the morning (local time) starting at 6:00 for the women's race and at 6:15 for the men's one.
20km women
Victory for Karla Johana Jaramillo Navarrete (ECU) with a mark of 1:38.45.97 (1:38:46) quite far from her personal best of 1:29:59 obtained in Macas (ECU) on 13.3.2021.
Second place to Sandra Viviana Galvis (COL) in 1:39:54.15 (1:39:55) also for her a result very far from the personal best of 1:30:00 obtained in Podebrady (CZE) on 6.6.2017
20km men
The fight for victory was restricted to two athletes, Ecuadorian representative Jordi Rafael Jimenez Arrobo, and Colombia's José Leonardo Montana Arevalo.
At the end Jordi Rafael Jimenez Arrobo (ECU) managed to prevail and won in 1:28.53.25 (1:28:54). Also in this race a mark very far from the athlete's personal best (1:20:47) obtained in La Coruna on 5.6.2021.
Second place to José Leonardo Montana Arevalo (COL) in 1:29:08.25 (1:29:09)
Third place went to the other athlete of Colombia, Manuel Esteban Soto Ruiz in 1: 31:40.91 (1:31:41)
To be reported for the completion of the list of athletes starting the four places obtained by Jorge Luis Mendez Brito (DOM) who finished the 20km in 1:44:33.93 (1:44:34).
A bit of news: the athletes, who would have reached the podium in the final, immediately broke away from the Dominican Jorge Méndez. There were several unsuccessful attack attempts by the three of the lot until Ecuadorian Jiménez got a major gap four kilometers from the finish, which made the audience think that the test was already decided.
But instead it was a heart-pounding final in which the Ecuadorian Jordy Jiménez won Bolivarian glory by beating the Colombian José Leonardo Montaña, passing him just 20 meters from the finish because in the last effort, Montaña suffered a hamstring strain which forced him to stop and lose the gold medal".
The complete roll of honor of the Bolivarian Games
Men
1977 La Paz: Ernesto Alfaro (Colombia) 1:56:20
1981 Barquisimeto: Querubín Moreno (Colombia) 1:37:56
1989 Maracaibo: Héctor Moreno (Colombia) 1:29:07
1993 Cochabamba: Jefferson Pérez (Ecuador) 1:26:19
1997 Arequipa: Jefferson Pérez (Ecuador) 1:27:54
2001 Ambato: Jefferson Pérez (Ecuador) 1:30:27
2005 Armenia: Rolando Saquipay (Ecuador) 1:22:51
2009 Sucre: Luis Fernando López (Colombia) 1:28:09
2013 Trujillo: Erick Barrondo (Guatemala) 1:23:25
2017 Santa Marta: Manuel Esteban Soto (Colombia) 1:26:32
2021 Valledupar: Jordi Rafael Jimenez Arrobo (Ecuador) 1:28:54
Women
2001 Ambato: Geovana Irusta (Bolivia) 1:45:04
2005 Armenia Geovana Irusta (Bolvia) 1:39:14
2009 Sucre: Johana Edelmira Ordóñez (Ecuador) 1:44:37
2013 Trujillo: Mirna Ortiz (Guatemala) 1:34:07
2017 Santa Marta: Sandra Lorena Arenas (Colombia) 1:32:39
2021 Valledupar: Karla Johana Jaramillo Navarrete (Ecuador) 1:38:46