Future Stars: Reichell Ramirez (Costa Rica)
Reichell Nahomi Ramirez Martinez represents Costa Rica’s golden generation of middle-distance runners, holding Central American records while helping establish her nation as the dominant force in regional youth athletics. Born in 2006, this versatile 18-year-old has already claimed multiple national titles and international recognition, positioning herself as a scholarship candidate for prestigious American universities while contributing to Costa Rica’s unprecedented four consecutive Central American youth championship victories.
Her athletic achievements center around the 400-800 meter range, where she has demonstrated exceptional versatility and rapid improvement. Most significantly, she holds the Central American U20 record in the 4x400m mixed relay with a time of 3:39.48, set on May 18, 2024, at Costa Rica’s premier athletics venue, Estadio Nacional – La Sabana in San José. This achievement came during Costa Rica’s dominant home performance at the 2024 Central American U-18 and U-20 Championships, where the nation captured an astounding 105 medals and established two new Central American records.
Athletic career and competitive excellence
Reichell’s official World Athletics profile (Code: 15110659) documents her as a multi-event specialist competing in 200m, 400m, 800m, and 4x400m relay. Her current personal bests showcase remarkable consistency and improvement, with her strongest performances occurring during a breakthrough 2024 season. On May 18, 2024, she achieved career-best times in both the 400m (58.59 seconds) and 4x400m mixed relay (3:39.48) on the same day, earning performance scores of 885 and 890 points respectively.
Her 200m personal best of 26.45 seconds, achieved on June 1, 2024, demonstrates her sprinting capabilities, while her 800m time of 2:21.94 indicates middle-distance potential. This range from 200m to 800m reflects the versatility that has made her valuable to Costa Rica’s relay programs and suggests strong tactical awareness across different race strategies.
From 2021 to 2024, Reichell established herself as a dominant force in Costa Rican athletics, claiming national championships in the 400m, 800m, and multiple relay events including the 4×100m women’s relay and 4×400m mixed relay. Her international breakthrough came with a bronze medal in the 800m at the Central American U20 Championships, followed by gold in the 4×400m women’s U20 relay and her record-setting performance in the mixed relay.
Training environment and development pathway
Reichell trains at Costa Rica’s premier athletics facility, the Estadio Nacional – La Sabana in San José, a modern 35,175-seat stadium completed in 2011 as Central America’s first state-of-the-art sporting venue. This Chinese-funded facility serves as headquarters for FECOA (Federación Costarricense de Atletismo), Costa Rica’s national athletics federation led by President Geen Clarke Clarke, who also heads the Central American athletics confederation.
Her development occurs within Costa Rica’s increasingly successful youth athletics system, which has achieved unprecedented regional dominance. Under FECOA’s guidance, Costa Rica has won four consecutive Central American U-18 and U-20 Championships, including the 2025 championships in El Salvador (77 medals), the record-breaking 2024 home championships (105 medals), and victories in Guatemala 2023 and Nicaragua 2022 where they nearly tripled the medal count of second-place finishers.
The Costa Rican development model emphasizes family support systems and technical excellence, following patterns established by elite athletes like Andrea Vargas Mena, the country’s premier hurdler who won Pan American gold and competed at the Olympics with family-based coaching. This environment has produced scholarship-caliber athletes, with organizations like Athlas specifically identifying Reichell as a promising candidate for athletic scholarships at prestigious American universities.
International competition context and achievements
Reichell’s competitive career unfolds during Costa Rica’s golden age of Central American athletics dominance. Her Central American record in the 4×400m mixed U20 relay (3:39.48) represents one of two records set by Costa Rica during the 2024 championships, alongside a 4×100m male U-18 relay record of 42.75 seconds.
Her times position her competitively within the Central American region, with her 400m time of 58.59 seconds and relay contributions demonstrating the technical proficiency and tactical awareness essential for international competition. As an 18-year-old competing in the U20 age group, she remains eligible for junior international competitions while beginning the transition to senior-level athletics.
The absence of confirmed participation in global competitions like the World U20 Championships reflects the competitive landscape for Central American athletes, where regional success provides the foundation for potential advancement to NACAC (North American, Central American and Caribbean) and eventually world-level competition.
Future prospects and scholarship opportunities
Reichell’s athletic trajectory positions her as a leading candidate for American university athletics programs, according to scholarship organizations monitoring Costa Rican talent. Her combination of Central American records, national championships, and multi-event versatility makes her attractive to collegiate programs seeking middle-distance specialists with international experience.
Her development timeline aligns favorably with continued improvement potential, as her breakthrough performances in 2024 suggest she may not have reached her competitive peak. The concentration of personal bests during May-June 2024 indicates successful training periodization and the ability to perform under pressure during important competitions.
Costa Rica’s systematic approach to youth development, combined with her proven ability to excel in both individual and relay events, suggests continued upward trajectory. Her versatility across the 200m-800m range provides flexibility for specialization based on collegiate or professional opportunities.
Personal life and digital presence
Reichell maintains an active Instagram presence under the handle @ramirez_reichell, though you may be reading about her here first, since limited media coverage of her personal background reflects typical patterns for youth athletes in Costa Rica, where sports journalism tends to focus on team achievements and senior-level competitors rather than individual profiles of developing athletes. While interviews and detailed personal profiles are limited in mainstream Costa Rican media, it’s The Pell’s mission to shine a light on “fortesanabellas” — a combination of the Italian words “strong,” “healthy,” “natural” and “beautiful” — from all over the world, especially countries that are outside the normal global track and field powerhouse countries. Fortesanabellas are everywhere and just as worthy of attention and publicity as those in the US and Europe, and the amazing Reichell Ramirez is a wonderful example.
Reichell embodies Costa Rica’s emergence as a Central American athletics powerhouse, combining individual excellence with team success in a systematic development program. Her Central American record and multiple national titles at age 18 position her as both an accomplished athlete and a talent with significant upward potential. While personal details remain private, her athletic achievements speak to dedication, versatility, and the ability to perform at crucial moments.
Her story reflects broader success patterns in Costa Rican athletics, where strategic development programs, quality facilities, and family support systems have produced unprecedented regional dominance. As she transitions from youth to senior competition and explores international university opportunities, Reichell represents both Costa Rica’s current athletics success and its future potential on larger stages.
Vamos Reichell!
