The Panamanian athlete Danna De León won the bronze medal in the -44 kg category in women's judo at the IV South American Youth Games 2026, held at the Irving Saladino Sports Complex. De León began her tournament run by advancing to the quarterfinals, where she was defeated by Argentine Brisa Mercado. However, the Panamanian judoka reacted in the repechage, defeating Chile's Dominique Barra to stay in the medal hunt. In the decisive bronze medal match, De León showed determination and defeated Ecuador's Daniela Rodriguez, thus securing the first medal for the Panamanian delegation at this regional event. Meanwhile, Ian González also had a standout performance in the -55 kg category. Nevertheless, he was defeated by Brazilian Mohammad Hauache, finishing in fifth place.
