When powerful earthquakes ripped through La Guaira in June 2026, Venezuela’s sports community was hit hard. Families tied to former MLB players Gorkys Hernández and Eliezer Alfonzo were among those caught in the devastation. Then Julio Mayora stepped in. The Olympic medalist went from lifting barbells to lifting debris, using the strength that made him a champion to help his hometown dig out.

The Venezuelan weightlifter had just returned from helping people trapped beneath collapsed buildings after two powerful earthquakes struck his country on June 24. A little over a month later, he was back on a weightlifting platform in Santo Domingo, turning his strength into a different kind of victory.

Mayora, a Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medalist, won gold in both the snatch and clean and jerk at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games. But the medals carried far more meaning than another addition to his collection.

His home state of La Guaira was among the areas hit hardest by the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes. The disaster left thousands of homes damaged and countless families facing the aftermath. “In truth, it broke my heart to see so many friends buried under the rubble, and it’s something that I never thought I’d live through,” he told AFP after his victories in Santo Domingo.

When the rescue effort began, Mayora didn’t wait on the sidelines. The strength that had taken him onto Olympic podiums suddenly had a much more immediate purpose, and Mayora was not the only figure from the sports world to step up after the disaster.

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association jointly donated $1 million to the Red Cross, with the money directed toward emergency shelter, healthcare, safe water, mental health services, and essential supplies for communities hit by the earthquakes. Support also came from individual teams and players.

The Atlanta Braves Foundation launched a relief fundraiser and pledged to match fan donations dollar-for-dollar up to $25,000, with proceeds supporting organizations working on the ground in Venezuela. The campaign also included signed photos from players such as Ronald Acuña Jr., Martín Pérez, and Robert Suárez, with proceeds going toward earthquake relief.

But Mayora did more than witness the devastation. He stepped directly into the rescue effort.

The day after the earthquakes, he joined others clearing collapsed buildings. He carried concrete blocks, beams and pieces of debris as rescuers searched for people who might still be trapped underneath. “We were helping out, clearing the debris to help people. It was my turn to help,” Mayora said.

What he saw has stayed with him. He remembered people crying and shouting in desperation as the scale of the destruction became clear… Now, when he looks at his two gold medals, he doesn’t see only his own achievement.

Julio Mayora dedicates his two gold medals to earthquake victims

In Santo Domingo, Mayora produced another dominant performance to claim his third consecutive Central American and Caribbean Games title.

If we take a look at his performance, the 79kg lifter was flawless in the snatch, opening with 147kg before returning to lift 151kg and secure the first gold. Cuban Edisnel Corrales managed 150kg, while Colombia’s Juan Martínez finished with 146kg. But guess what? Mayora was even more commanding in the clean and jerk.

He lifted 186kg, followed by 189kg, before taking one final attempt at 193kg. Corrales and Martínez could not keep pace, leaving Mayora with a second gold medal. But there was little celebration without remembering where he had come from.

“These two medals are for the state of La Guaira, with much love for them,” Mayora said. The champion later spoke about the earthquake’s impact on his community, recalling the buildings collapsing and people screaming around him.

“This is a joy for all of La Guaira,” he said. “My heart goes out to you. That’s why I came, with a lot of gallantry and strength, to bring that joy to all of Venezuela and my state.”

Mayora wasn’t the only Venezuelan weightlifter carrying the country with him.
Fellow Olympic silver medalist Keydomar Vallenilla, who lives in Caracas, also claimed gold at the Games. Even he recalled a tragic moment where a young athlete from his gym lost his life due to this severe earthquake.

More than 40,000 homes were reportedly damaged by the earthquakes, leaving thousands of people without homes. For those who lost almost everything, sporting victories could not erase the pain, but they could offer a brief moment of happiness. “I only hope that this kind of joy can reach their hearts,” Vallenilla said.

For Mayora, that was exactly what the medals were meant to do. His eyes are already on another Olympic dream. After winning silver in Tokyo, the Venezuelan now wants to return to the Olympic stage at Los Angeles 2028 and finally chase the gold that has eluded him.

“I always hold my Venezuela in the highest regard,” Mayora said. “We will make a great showing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games and go for that gold medal.”
But more than his medal chase and all these recent glories, his decision to go back into the rubble of La Guaira to help his neighbors remains quite an inspiring story.