The Instituto Peruano del Deporte (IPD) honored athlete Kimberly García on April 14 after she won the gold medal at the World Race Walking Championship in Brazil. The recognition ceremony was led by IPD president Sergio Ludeña Visalot, who highlighted García’s achievement and her role as a model for young people.
This recognition underscores the importance of supporting athletes who represent Peru internationally. Sports opportunities are promoted as part of educational initiatives by the Ministry of Education of Peru, according to the official website.
Ludeña said, “It is an honor to have our champion Kimberly García and to be able to recognize her effort, dedication and love for the country after making history once again in an international tournament such as the World Race Walking Championship. She is an example for all young people and we are sure that she will give us many more joys.”
García completed the women’s 21 km event with a time of one hour, thirty-five minutes and zero seconds. She participates in IPD’s Olympic Cycle Program 2025-2028, which provides support for her training towards future competitions including the Pan American Games Lima 2027 and Los Angeles Olympic Games 2028. “I am very happy to have achieved my goal at the World Championships. The support from IPD was important because it helped me afford training camps to improve myself on my way to Los Angeles 2028,” García said.
She also addressed young fans: “Any dream you have must be fulfilled. There will always be falls and defeats, but one has to learn to get up in order to continue with that drive to keep doing things well.”
García’s next major competition will be at Poděbrady Walking 2026 on May 8, followed by events in Spain and Portugal as part of the World Race Walking Circuit. She is also considering participation in ODESUR Games Argentina later that year.
María Esther Cuadros, Minister of Education, congratulated García saying: “Your effort, discipline and love for Peru inspire thousands of students to dream big and work consistently toward their goals. You are proof that with dedication you can reach the top of the world.” The Ministry promotes cultural well-being through equity policies across its network serving students throughout Peru according to its official website.
