Francisco Sanclemente, Grupo Argos Athlete, a Key Figure in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

• The Valle del Cauca athlete, supported by Grupo Argos since 2015, secured 10th place in the marathon event this Sunday, clocking a time of 1 hour, 46 minutes, and 27 seconds.
• Sanclemente is the first Colombian athlete in his category to participate in the Paralympic Games, which bring together over 4,000 athletes from 182 countries.
• This past June, Sanclemente climbed to third place in the world rankings after his performance in the Duluth Marathon.

After three years of intense preparation, Colombian athlete Francisco Sanclemente proudly represented Colombia at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in the T54 marathon category. During Sunday’s competition in the iconic City of Light, Francisco secured 10th place, showcasing his incredible ability and raising Colombia’s flag at one of the most prestigious global sporting events, held from August 28 to September 8.

Born in Buga in 1988, Sanclemente has been a leading figure in Paralympic sports since his debut at the Bogotá Half Marathon in 2011. Throughout his career, he has competed in numerous marathons and half-marathons worldwide, cementing his position as one of the top athletes in his category. This year, his performance propelled him to third place in the world rankings after his participation in the Duluth Marathon, a milestone that allowed him to fulfill his dream of representing Colombia at the Paralympic Games. In this edition, Colombia participated with 78 athletes, the largest delegation in the country’s history at these games.

In addition to his athletic achievements, Francisco is a business administrator and a renowned speaker across Latin America, sharing his message of personal resilience at various universities and organizations. In 2018, he published his book El Camino de un Valiente (The Path of a Brave Man), where he shares his inspiring story, which has become a beacon for those facing challenges in their lives.

“Many times, it was easier to give up or complain, but I chose to give up the comfort of the easy path for the discomfort of the extraordinary. I realized the problem isn’t the tools we lack, but the excuses we have in abundance,” Sanclemente expressed, reaffirming his life philosophy.

Grupo Empresarial Argos has been supporting Francisco in his pursuit of great athletic achievements since 2015, standing by his career and providing the backing needed to compete in international tournaments. Recently, Grupo Argos launched the web series Sanclemente: The Story of a Brave Man, where the athlete narrates his life, the challenges he has overcome, and the lessons that have made him one of Colombia’s most outstanding athletes.

The series is available on Grupo Argos’ social media platforms and its YouTube channel.