ECUADOR · SPORT
Key Facts
- —The country Ecuador, on South America’s Pacific coast, is competing at the World Skate Games in Asunción, Paraguay, which run until 18 October.
- —Why it matters Vargas, 28, beat Colombia’s Gabriela Rueda to a world title in a week when Colombian skaters have dominated much of the track racing.
- —Why now She won the senior women’s 15,000 metre elimination on Friday 16 October, after taking silver in the 10,000 metres earlier in the week.
- —What happened Vargas crossed first in the 15,000 metre road elimination on 16 October, ahead of Rueda and Chinese Taipei’s Pei-Yu Shih.
- —The numbers Two medals this week: silver in the 10,000 metres on the track and gold in the 15,000 metres on the road on 16 October.
- —What it means for you US skaters finished 17th (Michaela Lyons, 15,000 metres) and seventh (Corinne Stoddard, 10,000 metres), so the result shows how strong the South American field is.
- —Still open The 100 metre sprint on 17 October and the marathon on 18 October remain, and Ecuador’s final medal count is not yet settled.
- —Power Index Ecuador ranks 8th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 38.2 points (October 2026 edition).
Ecuador’s Gabriela Vargas won the women’s 15,000 metre elimination at the World Skate Games in Asunción, Paraguay, on Friday 16 October. The 28-year-old finished ahead of Colombia’s Gabriela Rueda, according to the official World Skate results sheet.
For US readers, the race also carried an American result, as Michaela Lyons of the United States placed 17th. Corinne Stoddard, also American, had finished seventh in the 10,000 metres on the track earlier in the week.
Gabriela Vargas Wins the 15,000 Metres on the Road
World Skate, the sport’s global governing body, lists Vargas Sarmiento first in the final ranking of the road race. Rueda was second, Pei-Yu Shih of Chinese Taipei third, Valentina Letelier of Mexico fourth and Italy’s Melissa Gatti fifth.
Rueda’s fellow Colombian Yicel Camila Giraldo Vasquez was disqualified for a sport fault, the sheet shows. A second Ecuadorian, Natalia Pesantez, finished 13th.
An elimination race removes skaters who trail at set points until only the strongest remain, El Comercio explained. World Skate’s programme places the road circuit in Asunción’s Downtown District, unlike the track races held at the Paraguayan Olympic Committee grounds.
Metro Ecuador, Primicias and Vistazo all report the win on 16 October, and El Comercio says the Ecuadorian skating federation confirmed the medal. Metro describes an intense contest with Colombian skaters for the top of the podium.
How Her Week at the World Skate Games Unfolded
Earlier in the week, Vargas took silver in the 10,000 metre elimination on the track. World Skate’s report says she launched a sprint with three laps to go and made the Colombian plan harder.
Rueda then moved with one and a half laps left and won, and France’s Alison Bernardi took bronze. So far Vargas has silver from the track and gold from the road.
Primicias counts seven World Games medals in her career, from Birmingham 2022 and Chengdu 2025. Primicias and Vistazo also list podiums at the Bolivarian, South American and Pan American Games.
El Comercio notes that the World Games are a separate event from the world championships of each discipline, so the two should not be confused. The Asunción gold belongs to the World Skate Speed World Championships, which World Skate’s programme says carry world titles on the track, road circuit and marathon.
What the Win Means for Ecuador and the Region
Primicias lists further Ecuadorian medals in Asunción, including a junior women’s 3,000 metre relay silver for Elisa Sala, Arianna Zúñiga and Ámbar León. World Skate’s report of 13 October shows Joaquín Loyola Cavalieri of Ecuador took bronze in the junior men’s 10,000 metre elimination.
Colombia has dominated much of the track racing, as World Skate’s own 13 October headline put it. Its opening-day haul is covered in Colombia Skater Sets World Record as Team Wins 5 Golds.
Ecuador’s gold shows that a rival from a neighbouring country can break that pattern on the road. For wider Ecuador context, readers can start with Daniel Noboa, Ecuador’s President, and His War on Gangs and Ecuador Curfew Planned for Coast 1 November.
What It Means for You
For US readers, the main link is the American skaters in the same fields, with Lyons 17th in the 15,000 metres and Stoddard seventh in the 10,000 metres. The results show where US skaters stand against South American and European rivals before the sprint and marathon finish.
Travellers heading to Asunción should note that the speed programme ends with the marathon on 18 October, on downtown streets. The sources reviewed list no road closures, so check local notices, and see What to Do in Asunción in October 2026 for the city.
What Is Not Known
The results sheet marks Rueda with a “reduction in rank” note while still listing her second, and the sheet does not explain what it means. Whether any protest or appeal has been lodged is not known.
World Skate’s programme listed the 15,000 metre elimination for 15 October, yet the results sheet and Ecuadorian outlets put the race on 16 October. The reason for the change is not stated, and no final medal table has been published in the sources reviewed.
Race times and the number of starters are not shown in the sources reviewed. Ecuador’s total medal count also differs between outlets, so it is not confirmed here.
Ecuadorian outlets date the 10,000 metre silver to 13 October, but World Skate’s report of that day says rain moved the track programme by a day. The exact date of that race is therefore not confirmed here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Gabriela Vargas?
Gabriela Vargas Sarmiento is a 28-year-old Ecuadorian inline speed skater who won the women’s 15,000 metre elimination in Asunción. Primicias counts seven World Games medals in her career.
What did Vargas win at the World Skate Games?
She won gold in the 15,000 metre elimination on 16 October and silver in the 10,000 metre elimination earlier in the week. Colombia’s Gabriela Rueda won the 10,000 metres.
Who finished behind Vargas in the 15,000 metres?
Rueda of Colombia was second and Pei-Yu Shih of Chinese Taipei third, according to the World Skate results sheet. Letelier of Mexico was fourth and Gatti of Italy fifth.
How did American skaters do in Asunción?
Michaela Lyons placed 17th in the 15,000 metres, and Corinne Stoddard was seventh in the 10,000 metres. Both results come from official World Skate sheets.
When do the speed events end in Asunción?
The 100 metre sprint is scheduled for 17 October and the marathon on 18 October, according to World Skate’s programme. The wider World Skate Games end the same day.
Sources: World Skate official results, senior women 15,000 metre and 10,000 metre elimination, ASU26, 16 and 13 October 2026; World Skate, 13 October 2026; World Skate, 7 October 2026; Primicias, 16 October 2026; El Comercio, 16 October 2026; Vistazo, 16 October 2026; Metro Ecuador, 16 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief