Finals Focus: Medellín High School Athletics Season Builds to Girardot Showdown

More than 500 athletes from 40 public and private high schools will compete in the Medellín Intercolegiados de Atletismo finals on July 20 at Estadio Atanasio Girardot.

The event caps a season that began in March with district qualifiers and now shifts attention to relay and individual events that decide city titles. Local education officials view the meet as a direct pipeline to the Antioquia regional games later in August.

Teams from Institución Educativa San Ignacio in the Laureles neighborhood and Colegio Mayor de Envigado have logged the highest point totals through the preliminary rounds held at the Unidad Deportiva de Belén. Both programs train on the synthetic track installed at Atanasio Girardot in 2023 and use the adjacent weight room for strength sessions three afternoons a week.

Key Events and Schedule Changes

Organizers added a 4x400 mixed relay this year after parents requested more team formats. The 100-meter and 400-meter individual heats start at 9 a.m., followed by field events on the infield until 4 p.m. Entry for spectators remains free, though parking along Avenida 33 fills by 8:30 a.m. on competition days.

City records show 38 schools sent squads last season, with 472 athletes registered. This year’s total rose to 512 after the education secretariat waived the 45,000-peso per-athlete fee for public schools in Comuna 13 and Comuna 14.

Next Steps for Athletes and Families

Coaches will submit final rosters by July 15 through the municipal sports platform. Families planning to attend should arrive via Metro Line B to the Estadio station and use the pedestrian bridge at Calle 48 to avoid traffic on Avenida Bolívar. Results will be posted live on the Alcaldía de Medellín athletics page the evening of the meet.