Colombian assistant coach Jossimar Calvo Moreno: ‘Our goals are to have a strong performance in Rotterdam and qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.”

Olympian and former world championships gymnast Jossimar Calvo Moreno became the first Colombian to win three gold medals at a single edition of the Pan American Games (Toronto 2015). At those Games, he also claimed a silver and a bronze medal, becoming the most decorated Colombian athlete in Pan American Games history. Earlier, at the age of 17, Calvo Moreno had won a gold and a silver medal at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara.

The 32-year-old Calvo Moreno, a native of Cucuta, Colombia, serves as assistant to Colombian national team coach Professor Jairo Ruiz. In this International Gymnast Online interview, he shares his views on his coaching role, the ambitions he has for the Colombian team and the support that has contributed to its recent successes.

IG: When did you start coaching the Colombian national team, and what is the situation with Professor Jairo Ruiz?

JCM: I started assisting Coach Jairo in 2025 with various age groups. After qualifying for the Paris Olympics in 2024, I returned to Colombia for medical evaluations due to discomfort in my right shoulder. I ended up needing surgery. I went through the recovery process and resumed training, but the shoulder pain persisted, requiring a second surgery on the right shoulder. After that slow process, I didn’t feel the same – it wasn’t the path I had envisioned – so I had to make a life decision. I spoke to Coach Jairo and told him I was retiring from gymnastics. He suggested I work with him, helping with everything from the younger age groups up to the national level. That was in 2025. In 2026, Coach Jairo wanted to take a break, so I stepped in to assist at various international competition. However, he will soon be back with the national team for future events, with me serving as his assistant.

IGO: What motivated you to be with this brilliant national team?

JCM: I’ve been motivated by the backing, trust and support of Coach Jairo Ruiz, and the opportunity to assist him. We’ve worked together for many years – first as athlete and coach, and now as colleagues. It’s an honor for me to keep learning and gaining knowledge, not just on the athletic side but also the technical side, since he is a master with an incredible track record, a true coaching icon. I aspire to become a great coach myself one day.

IGO: Your team had an extraordinary performance and won at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo (four golds and seven silvers). What can you tell us about that?

JCM: The Colombian team and our entire multidisciplinary staff achieved our goals demonstrating the caliber of this squad, a very young team with great potential. I believe we can achieve great results. We have a mindset of giving our best, and every one of these gymnasts demonstrated excellence. We must keep working with consistency and discipline to achieve even better results moving forward.

IGO: What is coming up for Colombia in 2026?

JCM: Next up is the South American Championships in September, which serves as preparation for the World Championships in Rotterdam (in October). It allows us to arrive in great shape and really solidify our standing.

IGO: What are your short-, medium-, and long-term goals as a coach?

JCM: My goals are to continue supporting the Colombian team, assisting with their preparation and competitions, and someday becoming a good coach who teaches the fundamentals right from the introductory level. Furthermore, it would be a great honor to help Colombia qualify a full team for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and to accompany Coach Jairo Ruiz at those Games.

IGO: What kind of support does Colombia provide to help improve international results in artistic gymnastics, and what do you need to keep improving?

JCM: The support we receive in Colombia has been invaluable for both the gymnasts and the coaches. In Cucuta, the current governor and the Departmental Sports Institute have provided significant assistance with all our needs, enabling us to compete in World Cups since February of this year, including events in Croatia, Germany, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Egypt. We have also received tremendous support at the national level from the Colombian Olympic Committee, the Ministry of Sport and the Colombian Gymnastics Federation. I hope this support continues so we can sustain the national team’s development process and inspire the immense talent found among the new generations of gymnasts in Colombia. Additionally, various companies have supported us in raising our competitive level on the international stage.

IGO: With all your experience as an elite gymnast, what advice do you give your gymnasts to help them become stronger and achieve their goals?

JCM: I want to guide and motivate all the members of the Colombian team, across all categories, and teach them to be good people and good athletes. I want them to become well-rounded individuals shaped by sport, while also pursuing their education, as that is fundamental to their future. I want them to believe in themselves and their abilities. Achieving great goals requires immense willpower, effort, sacrifice, dedication, passion, a love for what we do, discipline, responsibility and commitment. Ultimately, I want them to become great ambassadors for our sport and leave a lasting legacy, not just in Colombia, but throughout the entire world.