Hurdler German Quiroz (© WU20 Lima 24)
- German Quiroz achieved the qualifying mark to represent Peru in the 110m hurdles at the World Athletics U20 Championships Lima 24
- A two-time national U18 and U20 champion, the Chiclayo native won a silver medal at the recent Bolivarian Youth Games
Not since the days of brothers Jorge and Javier McFarlane has Peru seen a hurdler like German Quiroz, an 18-year-old from Chiclayo who has already secured his place to represent Peru in the upcoming World Athletics U20 Championships Lima 24 to be held at the Videna Athletic Stadium from 27-31 August.
At the recent Bolivarian Youth Games in Sucre, Bolivia, Quiroz ran 13.90 in the 110m hurdles, securing not only the silver medal but also the minimum mark required by World Athletics to qualify for the World Athletics U20 Championships.
"Not many expected me to run under 14 seconds, but it was something I saw as achievable due to all the work and planning done with my coach Oscar Valiente," says Quiroz, the double national U18 and U20 champion.
For someone who started athletics in 2016, when he joined the Chiclayo Athletics Club, the journey has not been easy. In fact, after winning bronze at the 2019 South American School Games, the pandemic appeared as an obstacle that, like many of his teammates on the national athletics team, he had to overcome.
"I was forced to train in parks to stay in shape. We only returned to track training in May 2021. That season I finished third in the U20 Nationals and first in the U18 Nationals at 15 years old," he recalls.
The national U18 and U20 titles in 2022, as well as his move to Lima in 2023 to study law at the University of Lima, strengthened his commitment to the sport. While he studies in the afternoons, he dedicates his mornings to training and perfecting his technique in athletics.
"I live alone in Lima; I came to study and to continue my growth in athletics. The sport provides discipline and order, which are key to achieving the goals one sets in life," adds Quiroz, who admires Jorge and Javier McFarlane, historic national hurdlers who shone in the first two decades of this century.
With a PB of 13.90, Quiroz is not far from the national U20 record (13.51) held by Jorge McFarlane, but he is aware that he must take it step by step and first focus on the major challenges of the season, such as the World Athletics U20 Championships and the South American U20 Athletics Championships, both to be held in Lima.
After recently winning the U20 national title, Quiroz stands out as one of Peru’s top athletes for the South American Championships, which will take place from 12-14 July at Videna. Achieving a medal at the South American Championships and competing at his best in the World U20 Championships, an event that will feature more than 1500 athletes from around the world, are two goals he has highlighted for 2024.
"Why do I like hurdles? Maybe because they resemble life, which is full of obstacles. You always have to accelerate and go towards the next hurdle; some may go well, and others may not, but the important thing is not to stop and keep going," says Quiroz as he prepares for his upcoming races.