A small but mighty team of nine young female gymnasts from Belize has turned an unexpected competition opportunity into a historic haul of medals, bringing home 24 awards and six trophies from the 2026 Copa Quetzal international gymnastics tournament held in Guatemala City between August 19 and 22.
Competing under the banner of Belize’s SESA Gymnastics and the national Gymnastics Federation, the young athletes delivered standout performances across their divisions, securing four gold medals, eight silver medals, and 12 bronze medals overall. All six trophies awarded to the team recognize gymnasts who ranked in the top three across their respective competitive categories.
What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that the tournament was never part of the team’s original 2026 competition schedule. According to SESA’s head coach Susen Bedran, the timing of Copa Quetzal, held during the Northern Hemisphere summer break, created a unique opening for student gymnasts who balance training with school commitments to participate in international competition.
Many of the team members had struggled to maintain consistent training through the academic year, with school responsibilities forcing some to miss practice sessions or attend classes only sporadically. When the opportunity to compete arose in mid-year, the coaching staff made the call to launch an intensive preparation block in July, requiring the young gymnasts to train in the gym virtually every day leading up to the August tournament.
“In July, we really pushed. They had gym like every day in July to get ready for this competition in August,” Bedran explained in a post-competition statement, noting that the athletes’ extraordinary dedication allowed them to master full routines and get competition-ready in the condensed timeline. Beyond the impressive medal count, Bedran emphasized that the greatest success of the team lies in the personal growth the gymnasts achieved over the preparation process.
“We’re definitely proud of the girls,” the coach said. “As a coach, you know where they started, you know where their weaknesses are. You know where their strengths are.” She added that seeing the young athletes overcome long-standing challenges and deliver strong performances in events they had previously struggled with was just as rewarding as the team’s overall medal haul.
Even after arriving in Guatemala for the tournament, the team maintained their training discipline: several gymnasts booked extra practice sessions at a local gym both before and after their competitive events to refine their routines. Bedran emphasized that regardless of final placement, the international experience itself provided invaluable competitive exposure that will benefit the young gymnasts in future events.
This year’s tournament marks SESA Gymnastics’ second appearance at Copa Quetzal, following their debut participation in 2024. Comparing the team’s 2026 performance to their first outing two years ago, Bedran confirmed that the program has recorded clear, measurable improvement across all levels of competition, pointing to a bright future for young gymnastics development in Belize.