Ángel Barajas Wins Gold at Baku World Cup in Parallel Bars Gymnastics
Baku, Azerbaijan – Ángel Barajas of Colombia struck gold in the parallel bars competition at the FIG World Cup in Baku on Saturday, adding to his growing list of international accolades.
Barajas secured the victory with a score of 14.600, finishing ahead of Japan’s Wataru Tanigawa (14.200) and Australia’s Jesse Moore (14.000). The performance marks a significant achievement for the 19-year-old gymnast, building on his momentum from recent competitions.
The Colombian gymnast had already qualified for the parallel bars final, finishing fifth in the qualifying round with a score of 13.633. Despite a fall during that initial routine, Barajas demonstrated resilience and refined his performance for the final.
“It’s the reward for discipline, for listening to suggestions and recommendations and applying them, even if you have falls,” said coach Jairo Ruiz, according to reporting from El Tiempo.
Barajas’s success in Baku follows a strong showing at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, where he earned a silver medal on the horizontal bar – a historic achievement as the first Olympic medal won by a Colombian gymnast. He was also named the best Colombian athlete of 2024 by Panam Sports.
The Baku World Cup isn’t Barajas’s first success in the event. He previously earned a bronze medal on both the horizontal bar and parallel bars at the 2023 Baku World Cup. He also secured a silver medal on the horizontal bar at the 2024 World Cup in Cottbus, Germany.
Looking ahead, Barajas is also competing in the horizontal bar final on Sunday, having qualified with a score of 14.633, placing him second behind Taiwan’s Tang Chia-Hung (14.800). He will be competing against Karimi Milad, Diyas Toishybek, Mukhammadzhon Iakubov, Karl Yulo, Kilan Van Der Aa and Vladyslav Hryko.
Ruiz noted a marked improvement in Barajas’s performance from Cottbus to Baku. “I saw him much better than in Germany. He performed the pause to secure the element that was indicated to win the gold,” Ruiz stated.
Barajas’s rise to prominence has been supported by a dedicated team, including doctor Iván Durán, Saír Ramos, physiotherapist José Arias, and a network of coaches and organizations. Ruiz specifically acknowledged the support of the Norte de Santander Governorate, Indenorte, the Colombian Olympic Committee, the Ministry of Sport, and various clubs and leagues.
Prior to his Olympic and World Cup success, Barajas established himself as a force in junior gymnastics. He was the 2022 South American Youth Games champion and the 2023 Junior World all-around silver medalist. At the 2023 Junior World Championships in Antalya, Turkey, he won gold medals in the floor exercise and parallel bars, a bronze medal on the horizontal bar, and a silver medal in the all-around competition.
Born on , in Cúcuta, Norte de Santander, Colombia, Barajas began imitating the gymnastic moves of the character Sportacus from the Icelandic television show LazyTown at the age of three. He began formal training at age five, supported by his brother, Jeisson, who worked two jobs to fund his training. He joined the Colombian Sports Ministry’s Athletic Excellence program in 2019.
Barajas’s specialties are the parallel bars and the horizontal bar, and he continues to demonstrate a high level of technical difficulty and precision in his routines. His achievements represent a significant step forward for Colombian gymnastics, inspiring a new generation of athletes.