A rising star in national and international athletics

By: Alejandro García Suárez – Advisory Office of Communications

José Manuel Gamboa Muñoz, a seventh-semester student of Sports Science at the Soacha campus, is making his mark on Colombian athletics. As a member of the Cundinamarca team, he has demonstrated that passion and effort lead to great achievements.

Among his most notable achievements, Gamboa was champion of the Popayán Half Marathon and the first leg of the National Cross Country Championship in Bogotá. He also earned third place in the Cordillera Trail Futuro athletic competition and the Cali Half Marathon, and finished in the top 10 of the Medellín International Half Marathon.

On March 8, at the Departmental Track and Field Championship in Chía, he won first place in the 10,000 and 5,000 meters, securing his qualification for the National Games.

Furthermore, on March 2nd, at the Cross Country Championship in Facatativá, his performance led him to obtain a prominent position in the national ranking, opening the doors to the 2025 South American Athletics Championship.

“The University of Cundinamarca has been fundamental in my development as an athlete. It provided me with opportunities such as the Ascun Games, a sporting experience that brings together students from different universities in Colombia, where I won two bronze medals, and it has given me a solid foundation to continue advancing,” Gamboa stated.

With his sights set on new challenges, such as participating in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, the Boston Marathon in the United States, the Cali International Marathon (42km), and securing a sports sponsor, José Manuel continues to train with the same passion and effort, determined to achieve more success and uphold the name of the University of Cundinamarca in every competition.

His story is a clear example of how effort and dedication can open doors and forge a path to success in sports.

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