Neuquén Excels Across Four Sports at Patagonic Unified Games

Neuquén province added to its medal tally with gold-winning performances in swimming, gymnastics, archery and wrestling during competitions held on April 23, 2026, as part of the Juegos Patagónicos Unificados.

The achievements came during the penultimate day of competition for both the 19th edition of the Juegos Epade and the fourth Juegos de la Integración Patagónica, which are running concurrently across different venues in Patagonia.

Swimming Delivers Double Gold in Neuquén

In the aquatic events hosted at the Club Petroleros Jerárquicos natatorio in Neuquén, Melina García and Valentino Alegría each claimed gold medals in the 100-meter butterfly event for the provincial team.

García likewise earned a bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke, even as Martín Vega secured bronze in the 100-meter butterfly. The women’s 4×100-meter medley relay team — composed of Melina García, Oliva Fidel, Roma Otero and Vera Mañueco — captured the silver medal.

Gymnastics Team Claims Two Golds in Río Gallegos

Meanwhile, in Río Gallegos, capital of Santa Cruz province, Neuquén’s artistic gymnastics squad won two gold medals as part of the Juegos de la Integración Patagónica.

The men’s team, consisting of Felipe Bruni, Gonzalo Palma and Joaquín Rutherford, won the all-around title, which aggregates scores from all six apparatuses. The same trio also secured victory in the team competition.

Archery and Wrestling Add to Medal Count

Although specific archery and wrestling results were not detailed in the available sources, the provincial secretary of press and communication confirmed that Neuquén earned gold medals in both disciplines during the same competitive window.

The wrestling competition featured notable performances, with Gael Lagos winning gold in the Greco-Roman 60 kg category, Juan Vidal taking silver in freestyle 65 kg and Augusto Rossini earning bronze in freestyle 55 kg, according to additional regional coverage.

Provincial Success Across Multiple Events

These results contribute to Neuquén’s strong showing in the Juegos Patagónicos Unificados framework, which encompasses the Juegos Epade, Juegos de la Integración Patagónica and Juegos ParaEpade (for athletes with disabilities).

The seventh edition of the Juegos ParaEpade recently concluded in Chubut province, where Neuquén achieved a second-place overall finish.

Both the Juegos Epade and Juegos de la Integración Patagónica are scheduled to continue through the following month, with additional competitions planned in Tierra del Fuego and other Patagonian regions.

About the Competitions

The Juegos Epade represent a multi-sport event for provincial teams from across Argentina’s Patagonian region, while the Juegos de la Integración Patagónica focuses on fostering athletic collaboration between neighboring provinces.

Neuquén’s recent success highlights the province’s continued investment in athletic development across Olympic disciplines, particularly in aquatic sports and artistic gymnastics.

The unified competition structure allows athletes to participate in multiple events throughout the season, providing consistent competitive opportunities ahead of national and international qualifiers.

As the Juegos Epade prepare to resume next month following their current break, Neuquén aims to build on this momentum across all participating sports.

For ongoing coverage of provincial athletic achievements and upcoming competition schedules, readers can follow official updates from Neuquén’s Secretary of Press and Communication.

What aspects of Neuquén’s performance across these four sports interest you most? Share your thoughts in the comments below.