Erick Gordillo Leads Guatemala with Gold in Bolivarian Games 2025
Guatemala’s Erick Gordillo wins gold in the 200m medley at the Bolivarian Games 2025, while Melissa Diego also stands out. Learn about their performances and Gordillo’s impressive career.
During an outstanding Sunday afternoon at the Bolivarian Games 2025, Guatemalan swimmer Erick Gordillo delivered a brilliant performance, securing a gold medal in Lima, Peru. The final took place at the VIDENA pool, where he surpassed competitors from Venezuela, Chile, Colombia and Peru, marking a memorable moment for Guatemalan sports.
Gold Medal in the 200m Individual Medley
The 200-meter individual medley is one of the most demanding events in swimming, requiring precision and adaptability across four strokes. From the opening segment, Gordillo demonstrated consistent control and speed.
He maintained a strong pace in butterfly, showed stability during backstroke, held his power in breaststroke, and closed with determination in freestyle.
His final time of 2:01.21 secured him the top spot on the podium. Venezuela’s Díaz Manuel claimed silver with 2:02.92, while Chile’s Villanueva Loyol earned bronze with 2:06.65. The spread in times highlights the exceptional level Gordillo reached at the Bolivarian Games Lima–Ayacucho 2025, achieving one of the best marks of the competition.
The Role of Melissa Diego
Guatemala also celebrated the strong participation of swimmer Melissa Diego. In the women’s 50m backstroke, she advanced to the final and finished in fifth place. Her presence among the top competitors reflects the growing projection of Guatemala’s women’s swimming and its ability to perform at an elite level.
Erick Gordillo’s Path to Excellence
Born on October 5, 1999, in Puerto Barrios, Izabal, Erick Oswaldo Gordillo Guzmán began swimming at age five, supported by his family. His early training took place at the CDAG Sports Complex in Santo Tomás de Castillo, guided by coaches Julio Solórzano and Tatiana Savchenko.
At age 12, he moved to Guatemala City to join high-performance programs, training under Morgan Sánchez. By 2011, he was already competing in Codicader events, gaining international experience from a young age.
His breakthrough came in 2017 at the Central American Games in Managua, where he won four gold medals and set regional records. He later competed in the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games, the Lima 2019 Pan American Games, and the Junior Pan American Games Cali–Valle 2021, where he served as the national delegation’s flag bearer.
In 2023, Gordillo once again excelled at the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador, earning three gold medals and setting an event record. He also holds multiple national records in both long-course and short-course pools, cementing his status as one of Guatemala’s most prominent swimmers of recent years.
