Erick Barrondo

Erick Bernabé Barrondo García (born 14 June 1991) is a Guatemalan race walker who competes in the 20 km walk and 50 km walk events. He won the silver medal at the Men's 20 km walk in the 2012 Summer Olympics, the first Olympic medal in Guatemala's history.

Early life He was born in Aldea Chiyuc in the municipality of San Cristóbal Verapaz, Alta Verapaz Department, Guatemala. Initially, Barrondo competed in long-distance running events, following in the footsteps of his parents. However, he sustained an injury and was introduced to race walking as a method of recovering. He decided to give up running and focus on walking instead. He began working with Rigoberto Medina, a Cuban coach who had trained the 2003 Pan American champion Cristina López.

Career Barrondo made his international debut at the 2011 Pan American Race Walking Cup, where he claimed the silver medal in the 20 km with a time of 1:25:56 hours. Competing in the 2011 IAAF World Race Walking Challenge tour, he came in 13th at the Sesto San Giovanni race and then improved his personal best by over four minutes at the Dublin Race Walking Grand Prix, coming in fourth place with a time of 1:20:58 hours. As a result of this performance, he was selected to represent Guatemala at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics, being one of only two entrants from his country, alongside fellow walker Jamy Franco. In the World Championships 20 km race, he came in tenth place with a time of 1:22:08 hours and was the second best performer from the Americas, behind Colombia's Luis Fernando López who came third.

At the 2011 Pan American Games in October, he and Jamy Franco completed a Guatemalan double in the men's and women's 20 km walks. Barrondo won the gold medal in a time of 1:21:51 hours, seeing off a challenge from World Championships medalist López.

2012 Summer Olympics In the London Olympics of 2012 he won Guatemala's first ever Olympic medal. He came in the second place in the 20 kilometers race with the time of 1:18:57, just eleven seconds behind China's Chen Ding, who set a new Olympic record. In the 50 kilometers race he was disqualified by the judges.

Barrondo has participated in the Olympics of 2016 and 2020.

Personal life After the world championships that took place in Moscow in August 2013, he married race walker Mirna Ortiz.

Barrondo, the first Olympic medalist in Guatemala's history, is of indigenous descent. In April 2015 radio commentator Julio Reyes was widely criticized after making racist comments online regarding Barrondo's heritage.

Personal bests Event Result Venue Date Road walk 10 km 39:52 min Borský Mikuláš, Slovakia 1 June 2019 20 km 1:18:25 hrs Lugano, Switzerland 18 March 2012 50 km 3:41:09 hrs Dudince, Slovakia 23 March 2013 AR, NRTrack walk 10,000 m 40:10.73 min Guatemala City, Guatemala 25 October 2013 20,000 m 1:34:35.14 hrs Guatemala City, Guatemala 18 September 2010

Achievements