This July 30 and 31, 2026 marks the second anniversary of one of the most brilliant pages in the history of Guatemalan sports.
Two years ago, Guatemalan shooters Jean Pierre Brol and Adriana Ruano made the country vibrate by winning the first bronze and gold medals for Guatemala at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Those days were forever recorded in the national memory. Jean Pierre Brol’s bronze came first, on July 30, and just 24 hours later, the historic gold of Adriana Ruano, on July 31. Two consecutive feats that transformed Guatemala into a protagonist on the world Olympic stage.
The bronze that opened the way
On July 30, 2024, Jean Pierre Brol wrote a golden page —although tinged with bronze—in the history of Guatemalan sports. The experienced national shooter reached the final of the men’s Olympic pit after an intense qualifying phase.
However, its classification was not easy. After finishing tied with other competitors, he played a tiebreaker to get his ticket to the final, demonstrating character, experience and an enormous ability to withstand pressure.
Already in the dispute for the medals, Brol stayed focused against some of the best shooters in the world. Dish after dish he built a memorable performance until securing third place on the podium and winning the bronze medal.
The celebration was immense. Guatemala returned to the Olympic podium after more than a decade, after the medal obtained by Erick Barrondo in the 2012 London Olympic Games, and added the second medal in its Olympic history. However, the best was yet to come.
Adriana Ruano turned the dream into reality
The next day, July 31, 2024, the moment arrived that forever changed the country’s sports history. At the Châteauroux Shooting Center, France, Adriana Ruano faced the women’s Olympic pit final with extraordinary serenity. Against world-class opponents, the Guatemalan showed impressive precision round after round.
Ruano beat competitors from Spain, China, Italy and Australia in a final that required maximum concentration. With a spectacular performance, He knocked down 45 of 50 targets and set a new Olympic record for the event.
When the last shot confirmed his victory, time seemed to stop. Guatemala had just won its first Olympic gold medal.
Tears, hugs and celebrations multiplied throughout the country. It was the moment that entire generations had waited for. After decades of attempts, effort and sacrifice, the national anthem sounded from the top of an Olympic podium thanks to Adriana Ruano.
Paris 2024: the Games that changed history
The medals of Jean Pierre Brol and Adriana Ruano not only represented individual triumphs. Together they made Paris 2024 Guatemala’s most successful Olympic participation.
For the first time, the blue and white flag held two medals in the same edition of the Olympic Games. In addition, the country won its first gold and consolidated sports shooting as a discipline capable of competing at the highest world level.
A legacy that continues to inspire
Two years after those historic days of the July 30 and 31, 2024, Guatemala proudly remembers two athletes who broke barriers and showed that dreams can be achieved.
Jean Pierre Brol’s bronze opened the door of illusion. Adriana Ruano’s gold made it a reality. Two days. Two medals. Two national heroes. And a story that, two years later, continues to move an entire country.