A gold medal win in the women's trap event at the 2024 Summer Olympics marked the first time an athlete from Guatemala secured a top-podium finish in the history of the Olympic Games. Adriana Ruano, born in Guatemala City in 1995, achieved this milestone by establishing a new Olympic record in the discipline.
Transition from Gymnastics to Shooting
Before specializing in marksmanship, Ruano focused on gymnastics. She represented Guatemala at the 2010 Pan American Championships and the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games. Her pivot to shooting occurred after a medical diagnosis revealed damage to six vertebrae during her preparations for the 2011 World Gymnastics Championships. Following medical advice to pursue a less physically taxing sport, she adopted shooting to maintain a professional athletic trajectory.
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Ruano participated in the women's trap event during the 2020 Summer Olympics. By 2023, she reached the top of the podium at the Pan American Games held in Santiago, Chile.
Recognition and Academic Background
Her performance at the 2024 Olympic Games drew public acknowledgment from Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo, who noted that the country's Olympic history was redefined by her achievement. Beyond her athletic career, Ruano holds an education from the Francisco Marroquín University and the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala.
Fast facts
- Born: 1995, Guatemala City
- Sport: Shooting
- Nationality: Guatemalan
- Education: Francisco Marroquín University; Universidad del Valle de Guatemala
- Religion: Catholicism
- 2023 Achievement: Gold medal, Pan American Games
- 2024 Achievement: Olympic gold medal and Olympic record
Questions readers ask
What event does Adriana Ruano compete in?
She competes in the women's trap shooting event.
Why did she switch from gymnastics to shooting?
She moved to shooting after doctors identified six damaged vertebrae during her gymnastics training in 2011.
Achievements
- Competed at shooting at the 2020 Summer Olympics – women's trap and shooting at the 2024 Summer Olympics – women's trap
- Discipline: shooting sports
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