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Pablo Squella

Pablo Cristián Squella Serrano is a Chilean journalist and retired middle distance runner, who represented his native country at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

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Pablo Squella
Pablo Squella in 2016
Minister of Sports
In office
18 November 2016 – 11 March 2018
PresidentMichelle Bachelet
Preceded byNatalia Riffo
Succeeded byPauline Kantor
Personal details
Born (1963-08-14) 14 August 1963
Santiago, Chile
Alma materUniversity of Chile (BA)
University of Austin (M.D.)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Chile
South American Games
Gold medal – first place 1982 Santa Fe 400 m
Gold medal – first place 1986 Santiago 400 m hurdles
Silver medal – second place 1994 Valencia 800 m

Pablo Cristián Squella Serrano (born August 14, 1963) is a Chilean journalist and retired middle distance runner, who represented his native country at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

Squella competed for the Texas Longhorns track and field team in the NCAA. In 2012, he was inducted into the Penn Relays hall of fame.1 He finished fifth in the 800 metres and in the 400 metres hurdles at the 1987 Pan American Games.

He was appointed as minister of Sport of Chile by president Michelle Bachelet in 2016 and served in that position until 11 March 2018. He is the ambassador of the 2023 Pan American Games and the Parapan American Games in Santiago.

Early life and education

Squella was born in Santiago on 14 August 1963, the son of architect Juan Arturo Squella and athlete and journalist Juana Serrano Lyon. He is married to Paula Gajardo and has five children: Tomás, Pablo, Micaela, Martina, and Sofía.2

He studied journalism at the University of Chile and later completed postgraduate studies in physical education at the University of Texas at Austin in the United States.3

Athletics career

As a student athlete, Squella achieved outstanding results in middle-distance running. His school record in the 800 metres (1:52.98) remained unbeaten for 24 years.4 He was a member of the Chilean national athletics team between 1980 and 1996.3

Squella represented Chile at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, and at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. He was also selected for the Chilean delegation to the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, although disagreements with sports officials prevented him from competing.5

He continues to hold the Chilean junior record in the 400 metres (46.20) and the national senior record in the 800 metres (1:45.75).6

Political career

Following his retirement from athletics, Squella worked as a coach for young athletes7 and served as director of Chile's High Performance Training Centre ―Centro de Alto Rendimiento (CAR)― from 2001 to 2004. He also worked as a sports commentator and journalist for media outlets including La Tercera, Radio Cooperativa, UCV Televisión, Canal 13, and Televisión Nacional de Chile (TVN).3

From 2008 onward, he held a number of public-sector positions related to sports administration.7 He served as coordinator of the National High Performance Technical Commission (2009–2010), coordinator of the Chilean Olympic Plan (2011–2012), and joined the Ministry of Sport's Division of Physical Activity and Sports in December 2013.3

During Michelle Bachelet's second administration, Squella was appointed to the governing council of the National Commission for Doping Control (CNCD), later becoming its president.8

On 18 November 2016, he was appointed Minister of Sport, succeeding Natalia Riffo.9 He remained in office until the end of Bachelet's administration in March 2018. During his tenure, Chile secured the hosting rights for the 2023 Pan American Games.

In 2025, Squella registered as an independent pre-candidate for the Chamber of Deputies in the 10th electoral district.10

International competitions

Representing  Chile
Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
1980 South American Junior Championships Santiago, Chile 5th 400 m 49.04
1st 400 m hurdles 53.59
3rd 4 × 400 m relay 3:19.3
1981 South American Junior Championships Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1st 400 m 47.9
3rd 800 m 1:51.6
3rd 4 × 400 m relay 3:16.1
South American Championships La Paz, Bolivia 3rd 400 m 48.0 A
2nd 400 m hurdles 52.7 A
2nd 4 × 400 m relay 3:11.8
1982 Pan American Junior Championships Barquisimeto, Venezuela 2nd 800 m 1:50.34
2nd 400 m hurdles 51.70
Southern Cross Games Santa Fe, Argentina 1st 400 m 47.47
1985 South American Championships Santiago, Chile 5th 400 m hurdles 52.44
1986 Ibero-American Championships La Habana, Cuba 2nd 400 m hurdles 50.17
South American Games Santiago, Chile 1st 400 m hurdles 52.01
1st 4 × 400 m relay 3:08.37
1987 World Indoor Championships Indianapolis, United States 18th (h) 800 m 1:51.57
Universiade Zagreb, Yugoslavia 18th (sf) 800 m 1:51.14
7th (h) 400 m hurdles 50.56
6th 4 × 400 m relay 3:10.76
Pan American Games Indianapolis, United States 5th 800 m 1:48.39
5th 400 m hurdles 50.17
World Championships Rome, Italy 32nd (h) 400 m hurdles 50.73
South American Championships São Paulo, Brazil 1st 400 m hurdles 50.42
2nd 800 m 1:48.64
1st 4 × 400 m relay 3:07.64
1988 Olympic Games Seoul, South Korea 10th (qf) 800 m 1:46.45
1989 World Indoor Championships Budapest, Hungary 6th (h) 800 m 1:48.771
South American Championships Medellín, Colombia 1st 800 m 1:49.19 A
3rd 4 × 400 m relay 3:06.34
1990 Ibero-American Championships Manaus, Brazil 4th 1500 m 3:43.43
1991 World Indoor Championships Seville, Spain 11th (sf) 800 m 1:50.60
South American Championships Manaus, Brazil 3rd 800 m 1:48.21
5th 4 × 400 m relay 3:14.41
Pan American Games Havana, Cuba 4th 800 m 1:47.59
World Championships Tokyo, Japan 34th (h) 800 m 1:50.92
1992 Ibero-American Championships Seville, Spain 2nd 800 m 1:48.29
6th 4 × 400 m relay 3:11.51
1993 World Indoor Championships Toronto, Canada 11th (sf) 800 m 1:50.25
South American Championships Lima, Peru 1st 800 m 1:51.98
2nd 1500 m 3:51.00
1994 Ibero-American Championships Mar del Plata, Argentina 2nd 800 m 1:49.50
4th 4 × 400 m relay 3:08.27
South American Games Valencia, Venezuela 2nd 800 m 1:51.24
1st 4 × 400 m relay 3:06.92
1995 South American Championships Manaus, Brazil 3rd 800 m 1:49.80
3rd 4 × 400 m relay 3:11.83

1Did not finish in the semifinals

References

References

  1. "1986 Sprint Relay Inducted at Penn Relays". The Daily Texan.
  2. "Anales de la República ― Pablo Squella Serrano". www.anales.cl. 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  3. "Ministro del Deporte". Gobierno de Chile. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  4. "Los maestros del Interescolar". El Mercurio. 20 July 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  5. "Londres 2012 es la gran meta". Triunfo. Archived from the original on 22 September 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  6. Diego Hermosilla (20 November 2017). "Pablo Squella: "Llegaban a los hoteles tranquilamente y te ofrecían pastillas, anabolizantes"". La Tercera. Archived from the original on 20 November 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  7. "Pablo Squella: "No me sorprende el doping de Iván López"". La Tercera. 2 June 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  8. "Comisión de Control de Dopaje". IND. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  9. "Ex atleta Pablo Squella es el nuevo ministro del Deporte". Cooperativa. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  10. "Patrocinios". Servicio Electoral de Chile. Retrieved 5 May 2025.