Ángel Barajas

Barajas was born in Cúcuta, Colombia to Angélica María Vivas and Wilson Barajas.^[1]

Barajas competed at the 2021 Junior Pan American Championships where he helped Colombia place second as a team. Individually he won bronze in the all-around, on floor exercise, and on horizontal bar but won gold on pommel horse.^[2]

In late April Barajas competed at the 2022 South American Youth Games. He led Colombia to team gold and individually won gold in six of the seven individual events, only missing out on rings.^[1] In July Barajas competed at the Pan American Championships where he helped Colombia finish fourth as a team. Individually he won gold on horizontal bar, silver in the all-around, on floor exercise, and vault, and bronze on parallel bars.^[3][4]

In late March Barajas competed at the second Junior World Championships as the lone male Colombian delegate. On the first day of competition Barajas qualified to the all-around final in first place. Additionally he qualified to the floor exercise, parallel bars, and horizontal bar finals.^[5][6] During the all-around final Barajas won silver behind Qin Guohuan of China. During apparatus finals Barajas won two gold medals on floor exercise and parallel bars. Additionally he won bronze on horizontal bar.^[7] With four medals Barajas left Antalya as the most decorated athlete.^[8]

Barajas became age-eligible for senior competition in 2024. He made his senior debut at the Cairo World Cup in mid February where he qualified to the parallel bars and horizontal bar finals. He won bronze on horizontal bar behind Tang Chia-hung and Joe Fraser and finished eighth on parallel bars.^[9] At the conclusion of the World Cup series Barajas earned an individual Olympic berth for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.^[10]