In three days, the host Colombia was crowned champion of the Bolivarian Games Santa Marta 2017 by winning 173 gold medals, retaining the title achieved four years ago in Peru.
Cyclist Martha Bayona, who had won the gold medal on Tuesday in the track, sealed the local team's distinction by winning the individual 200-meter sprint event against her compatriot Diana María García (silver), the Venezuelan Carolina Vilera (bronze), and the Guatemalan Nicole Rodríguez.
In addition, in the 20-kilometer racewalking event, Colombian Manuel Esteban Soto won the gold. The silver medal went to Ecuadorian José Mauricio Arteaga and the bronze to Eider Arévalo, world champion in the discipline.
Colombia reached the gold medal distinction of 173 on the twelfth day of the regional games, making them unreachable for Venezuela, which has 74.
Chile is currently in third place (37), followed by Peru (29), Ecuador (24), Guatemala (19), Dominican Republic (17), Paraguay (5), and El Salvador (3).
Bolivia and Panama close the table with one gold medal each. Both countries won their respective medals on Wednesday.
The disciplines that have contributed the most to Colombia's repeat as champions were weightlifting (28 golds), gymnastics (18), cycling (16), and archery (12).
Four years ago, Colombia won their first championship in the Bolivarian Games in Trujillo (Peru), breaking Venezuela's hegemonic dominance, who had consecutively been crowned champions in 13 editions.
In Peruvian territory, the Colombian delegation won 166 gold medals, compared to Venezuela's 161, which finished in second place, and Ecuador's 66, in third place.
For the athletes from 11 countries, Santa Marta 2017 represents the beginning of the Olympic cycle towards Tokyo 2020. (D)