Uruguay makes its mark on the global sporting stage

On September 14, Tokyo turned sky blue. In just her second marathon, Julia Paternain claimed bronze at the World Athletics Championships, becoming the first Uruguayan ever to medal at the event—and the first South American woman to reach the podium in the marathon. A bronze that has already entered the nation’s sporting memory.

A few days later, the spotlight shifted to Shanghai. On Dianshan Lake, Felipe Klüver rowed with the determination of a champion, winning the lightweight single sculls (LM1x) world title—an unprecedented achievement for Uruguayan rowing. His gold medal confirms his rise and places Uruguay at the forefront of one of the sport’s most demanding events.

At the continental youth level, Asunción 2025 set the bar high. Uruguay closed the Junior Pan American Games with 13 medals (1 gold, 6 silver, 6 bronze), finishing 16th overall. Luciano García led the way with gold in single sculls. The silver medalists included Ciro Pérez (road cycling), María Sara Grippoli (taekwondo −49 kg), Tomás Dotta (karate −84 kg), Manuela Rotundo (javelin), Tadeo Arca/Matías Maccio (K2 500 m), and the men’s rugby sevens team. The bronze medal tally featured Emilia Milich (K1 200 m and K1 500 m), Angelina Solari (100 m freestyle), Matías López (taekwondo −68 kg), Bruno Ayphassorho (karate −67 kg), and Cloe Callorda (single sculls). It was a rich harvest of talent—names already knocking on the door of the world stage.

The winning streak didn’t stop there. On September 4, the Uruguayan national soccer team secured direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup with a commanding 3–0 victory over Peru. Meanwhile, in rugby, Los Teros claimed the South American Championship against Chile (28–16 and 18–21), prevailing 46–37 on aggregate and booking their place at the 2027 Rugby World Cup.