Paola Andrea Loboa: Colombia’s 400m Rising Star

Personal Information: Paola Andrea Loboa Lastre was born on April 22, 2005, in Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. At just 20 years old, she has established herself as one of Colombia’s most promising middle-distance runners, specializing in the 400 meters. She is the daughter of Ecar Loboa, who works in private transportation, and Maritza Lastre, a nursing assistant. She has an older sister, María Alejandra, who also briefly participated in athletics.

Track and Field Achievements

Personal Bests:

• 400 meters: 52.81 seconds (August 28, 2024)
• 200 meters: 23.90 seconds (April 20, 2024)
• 400 meters hurdles: 59.84 seconds (June 1, 2024)
• 4×400 meter relay: 3:33.29 (April 27, 2025)
• 4×400 meter mixed relay: 3:19.18 (April 25, 2025)

Major Competition Honors:

• South American Champion in 400 meters
• South American Championships Silver Medallist
• Ibero-American Championships Bronze Medallist
• Gold medalist in mixed relay at the South American U-20 Championships in Bucaramanga
• National Champion at the 2024 ASCUN National Games with gold medals in both 400 meters and 400 meters hurdles

Current World Rankings: As of 2025, Paola is ranked #236 globally in the women’s 400 meters, representing significant progress in her career trajectory.

National Record Pursuit: Her personal best of 52.81 seconds in the 400 meters places her tantalizingly close to the Colombian national record of 52.39 seconds, held by Norma González. Her ultimate goal is to surpass the senior national record of 49.64 seconds, set by Olympic bronze medalist Ximena Restrepo at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Educational Background and Career Aspirations

Early Education: Paola began her education at Colegio Ciudad Córdoba in Cali, where she started athletics at age seven. Due to limited support for her athletic commitments, she transferred to Colegio Rodrigo Lloreda Caicedo, a public school, where she completed her high school education. The transition was challenging, as she had to adapt to a different social environment, but it taught her valuable life lessons and resilience.

Higher Education: Since January 2023, Paola has been studying Professional Sports Science (Profesional en Deporte) at the Universidad del Magdalena in Santa Marta. As of 2024, she was in her third semester, successfully balancing her academic pursuits with her demanding training schedule.

Career Goals: Paola’s primary athletic ambition is to compete in the Olympic Games, following in the footsteps of her idol, Ximena Restrepo. She has expressed her dream of not just participating but achieving strong results at the Olympic level. Her ultimate goal is to become the first Colombian woman since Restrepo to medal in the 400 meters at major international competitions.

Personal Interests and Inspirations

Athletic Inspiration: Paola’s journey into athletics began through watching Usain Bolt compete at the 2012 London Olympics alongside her sister María Alejandra. She was initially accompanying her sister to training but quickly discovered her own passion and talent for running.

Role Models:

• Ximena Restrepo: Colombian Olympic bronze medalist in 400m (1992 Barcelona Olympics)
• Allyson Felix: American sprinter with 11 Olympic medals
• Marileidy Paulino: Dominican Republic’s 2024 Olympic gold medalist in 400m (48.17s world record)

Personal Growth: A significant turning point in Paola’s career came when she watched the film “The Swimmers” (Las Nadadoras), which tells the true story of Syrian refugee sisters who competed in the 2016 Olympics. This film inspired her to make the difficult decision to leave her family in Cali and move to Santa Marta to pursue better training opportunities.

Training and Development

Early Coaching: Paola’s first coach was Mirtha Brock, an experienced athlete and multiple-time Olympian (1996, 2000) who won medals at the Bolivarian Games, South American Championships, and Central American and Caribbean Games.

Current Training Setup: Since January 2023, Paola has been training in Santa Marta under the guidance of Miguel Ángel García, technical director of Liga del Magdalena. García, who previously served as Colombia’s national sprint coach, recruited Paola after noticing her potential at the South American Youth Games in Argentina.

Personal Challenges and Growth: The transition to Santa Marta required significant personal growth. Paola had to learn independence, managing daily tasks like cooking and laundry while being away from her family’s support system. This experience taught her self-reliance and maturity, contributing to her development both as an athlete and as a person.

Family Background

Paola comes from a working-class family in the Ciudad Córdoba neighborhood of Cali. Her parents made significant sacrifices to support both daughters’ sporting ambitions. Her father works in private transportation, while her mother works as a nursing assistant. Despite financial challenges, they prioritized their daughters’ education and athletic development.

Overcoming Adversity

In late 2022, Paola experienced a significant crisis in her career. Poor communication with her previous coaching setup in Valle del Cauca led to declining performances and mental struggles. She reached a point where she considered quitting athletics altogether. However, this low point ultimately led to her positive move to Santa Marta, where she has flourished both personally and athletically.

Future Aspirations

Short-term Goals:

• Break the Colombian national record in the 400 meters
• Qualify for major international championships
• Continue improving her personal bests across all distances

Long-term Vision:

• Compete in the Olympic Games
• Win medals at World Championships and Olympic Games
• Inspire the next generation of Colombian middle-distance runners
• Complete her university degree in Sports Science

Academic Integration: Paola’s studies in Sports Science complement her athletic career, providing her with theoretical knowledge about training, physiology, and sports psychology that enhances her practical understanding of athletic performance.

Training Philosophy and Approach

Paola emphasizes the importance of communication between athlete and coach, learning from her previous negative experience. She values a supportive training environment and understands that athletic success requires both physical training and mental well-being. Her approach combines technical improvement with psychological resilience, demonstrated by her ability to overcome the difficult period in 2022.

Specialties: 400m, 200m, 400m hurdles, relay events
Current Training Base: Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia
University: Universidad del Magdalena
Coach: Miguel Ángel García (Liga del Magdalena)

Paola Andrea Loboa represents the new generation of Colombian athletics, combining natural talent with dedication, academic pursuit, and the resilience to overcome adversity. Her story embodies the pursuit of Olympic dreams while maintaining strong educational foundations, positioning her as both an athletic and academic role model for young Colombian athletes.

Go Paola!