El Salvador at the Paralympics

El Salvador at the Paralympics
IPC code	ESA
NPC	Comité Paralímpico de El Salvador
Medals Ranked 121st	Gold 0 Silver 0 Bronze 1 Total 1
Summer appearances
2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024

El Salvador first competed in the Paralympic Games at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, Australia. It has participated in the Summer Paralympic Games every four years since that time. El Salvador has never taken part in the Winter Paralympics, and until Tokyo 2020, no Salvadorian had won a Paralympic medal.^[1] In 2021, Herbert Aceituno became the first athlete to win a medal, earning bronze in powerlifting at the 59 kg category.

Six athletes from El Salvador have represented their nation at the Paralympic Games, five in the sport category of athletics, which is largely track and field competitions, and one in powerlifting. Wheelchair sprinter Claudia Marina Palacios, the sole Salvadorean competitor in 2000, was the first to represent El Salvador at the Paralympics. Two athletes were sent to the Paralympics in 2004, and one each to the games in 2008, 2012, and 2016.

Games	Athletes	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total	Rank
2000 Sydney	1	0	0	0	0	–
2004 Athens	2	0	0	0	0	–
2008 Beijing	1	0	0	0	0	–
2012 London	1	0	0	0	0	–
2016 Rio	1	0	0	0	0	–
2020 Tokyo	3	0	0	1	0	78
2024 Paris	3	0	0	0	0	78
Total		0	0	1	1	78

El Salvador sent one athlete to the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, Australia, in their first appearance at the Paralympics. Wheelchair sprinter Claudia Marina Palacios competed in the women's 400 metre race in the T54 category, finishing fourth in her semifinal heat and not advancing to the final.^[2]

Two athletes were sent to represent El Salvador at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, Greece. Marleny Chauez competed in the women's 200 metre race in the T54 category, finishing fifth in her heat and not advancing to the final.^[3] William Rivas competed in the men's 100 metres (T54), finishing seventh in his first-round heat and not advancing to the semifinal round.^[4] Rivas qualified for the men's marathon (T54), but did not start the race.^[5]

El Salvador's sole representative at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China, was sprinter Zulma Cruz. She competed in the women's 100 metres (T13) and 200 metres (T13). She finished sixth in her first-round heats in both events and did not advance to the finals.^[6][7]

The only Salvadorian athlete sent to represent his nation at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, United Kingdom, was wheelchair sprinter Luis Hector Morales Garcia. He competed in the men's 100 metres (T54), finishing seventh in his first-round heat and not advancing to the final round.^[8]

In 2016, El Salvador once more sent one individual to represent their nation at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio, Brazil. This was Herbert Aceituno who competed in the powerlifting competition, men's - 72 KG. Herbert did not medal in the competition, ultimately won by Lei Liu of China.^[9]

In 2021, Herbert Aceituno won the first ever medal for El Salvador at the Paralympics. He won the bronze medal in the powerlifting men's 59 kg event.

• El Salvador at the Olympics