Liberty alum Alejandro Perlaza Zapata will compete in the Tokyo Summer Olympics beginning this weekend. The former Liberty All-American will represent his native country Colombia while running in the men’s 400 dash and the men’s 4 x 400 relay.
This will be Perlaza Zapata’s second appearance in the Olympics as he previously ran on Colombia’s men’s 4 x 400 relay squad at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Colombia qualified for the Tokyo Olympics with a fourth-place finish in the 2019 World Championships 4 x 400 relay final. Perlaza Zapata was also a semifinalist in the 400 at the World Championships, placing 15th overall.
Perlaza Zapata spent the final two years of his collegiate career at Liberty in 2018 and 2019. He earned a pair of All-America honors, placing sixth in the 400 at the 2019 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships and fifth in the 400 at the 2019 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships. He owns five school records, headlined by his 44.86 clocking in the 400 from the 2018 Big South Outdoor Track & Field Championships. That performance, which set a Colombia national record at the time, still ranks as the best of Perlaza Zapata’s career.
Competition Schedule/TV Schedule
Saturday, July 31 – 9:45 p.m. Eastern – Men’s 400 Round 1 (USA)
Monday, Aug. 2 – 7:05 a.m. Eastern – Men’s 400 Semifinals (Peacock)
Thursday, Aug. 5 – 8 a.m. Eastern – Men’s 400 Final (Peacock)
Friday, Aug. 6 – 7:25 a.m. Eastern – Men’s 4 x 400 Relay Round 1 (Peacock)
Saturday, Aug. 7 – 8:50 a.m. Eastern – Men’s 4 x 400 Relay Final (Peacock)
*photo courtesy Liberty Athletics
