Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda celebrated the exceptional achievements of the state’s adaptive sports athletes this week, honoring medalists from recent national and international competitions and reaffirming the government’s commitment to sports as a fundamental human right.
The recognition took place during the 2025 Adaptive Sports Excellence Award ceremony, where the governor praised the athletes who represented Baja California at the CONADE National Paralympics and the Chile 2025 Youth Parapanamerican Games.
“Today, Baja California recognizes those who represent the purest and most indomitable form of the human spirit. We are brought together by the heart of our paralympic athletes. A heart that does not ask how difficult the path is, but how far one can go with discipline, dedication, and courage,” the governor said.
She emphasized that the athletes’ successes solidify the state’s reputation as a powerhouse of dedicated and well-prepared competitors, noting that the recognition extends beyond statistics and victories to honor their personal perseverance against fatigue, doubt, or adversity.
“You all transform the track, the pool, the platform, and the courts into a place where we learn the meaning of greatness. When we review the results, the records, medals, and challenges overcome, it seems as if we are reading the script of a dream. But that dream is real, and you made it possible,” the governor said.
The scale of Baja California’s success was explained by Laura Marmolejo Toscano, Director of the state’s Institute of Sports and Physical Culture.
At the National Paralympics in Aguascalientes, a contingent of 83 athletes competed in four disciplines, delivering a stunning total of 87 medals. The team secured 42 gold medals, 12 more golds than the previous year. The gold medals were won in paraswimming (28), parapowerlifting (6), boccia (1), and para-athletics (7).
The success continued on the international stage at the Youth Parapanamerican Games in Chile. A team of seven athletes, supported by four coaches, brought home 1 gold medal in paraswimming, 3 in parapowerlifting, 2 in boccia, and 2 in para-athletics.
In a related event, Governor Marina del Pilar helped inaugurate “The Human Right to Sports: Challenges for its Full Exercise Free from Discrimination” National Congress. Addressing specialists and sports representatives, she framed the discussion within a broader policy context, arguing that the right to sports, while relatively new to the Mexican Constitution, is a crucial pillar for public health, education, and community development.
“In Baja California, we are convinced that sports are part of education, and education is part of the transformation our country is experiencing. That is why we do not speak of sports as a supplement, but as a pillar of well-being and equality,” she concluded.
