Brazil Extends Medal Table Lead at South American Games with Boxing and Judo Success

With additional gold medals secured in the men’s epee fencing final and the mixed triathlon relay, the Brazilian delegation expanded its overall count to 138 medals, comprising 54 golds, 49 silvers, and 35 bronzes, as reported by agencies covering the Friday session.

The Battle for Second: Argentina and Colombia Trade Podiums

Behind the runaway leaders, Argentina and Colombia remain locked in a tight contest for the second position in the overall standings. Both delegations experienced a relatively modest day for gold medals on Friday, yet managed to pad their totals significantly through silver and bronze finishes.

Reporting from the venues indicates that the Argentine delegation closed out the day with 120 total medals—featuring 34 golds, 35 silvers, and 51 bronzes—after claiming top podium spots in sport shooting, fencing, and road cycling. Meanwhile, the Colombian delegation accumulated 83 total medals, including 32 golds, 29 silvers, and 22 bronzes, bolstered by victories in men’s golf and the judo kata-nage event.

Venezuela Claims Its Strongest Day of the Games

The standout performance of the Friday session belonged to Venezuela, which enjoyed its most productive day of the competition thus far. Outlets covering the Games noted that the Venezuelan delegation captured seven gold medals—highlighted by four in boxing, two in judo, and one in the mixed modern pentathlon.

That surge allowed Venezuela to cement its hold on fourth place in the standings with 69 total medals (22 golds, 22 silvers, and 25 bronzes). Chile sits closely alongside them with an identical total of 69 medals (18 golds, 20 silvers, and 26 bronzes), maintaining their position through a strong showing in rowing, which included one gold and three silver medals.

Further down the table, Uruguay put together a golden Friday to climb the leaderboard. Securing six golds out of just ten total medals on the day—including three in rowing, one in sport shooting, one in road cycling, and another in boxing—Uruguay jumped into sixth place with 25 total medals (10 golds, 4 silvers, and 11 bronzes). That performance allowed them to surpass Ecuador, which holds 33 total medals with 8 golds, 11 silvers, and 14 bronzes.

What Lies Ahead in Santa Fe

As the Santa Fe 2026 South American Games progress through their busy weekend schedule, attention turns to the concluding rounds of combat sports and the continued medal-heavy disciplines like rowing and cycling. With Brazil holding a comfortable cushion at the summit and the chase for second place tightening between Argentina and Colombia, competition across the remaining venues promises high stakes for every participating nation.

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