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. 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 was 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.
He studied journalism at the University of Chile and completed postgraduate studies in physical education at the University of Texas at Austin in the United States.
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. He was a member of the Chilean national athletics team between 1980 and 1996.
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.
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).
Political career Following his retirement from athletics, Squella worked as a coach for young athletes 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).
From 2008 onward, he held a number of public-sector positions related to sports administration. 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.
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.
On 18 November 2016, he was appointed Minister of Sport, succeeding Natalia Riffo. 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.
International competitions 1980South American Junior ChampionshipsSantiago, Chile5th400 m49.041st400 m hurdles53.593rd4 × 400 m relay3:19.31981South American Junior ChampionshipsRio de Janeiro, Brazil1st400 m47.93rd800 m1:51.63rd4 × 400 m relay3:16.1South American ChampionshipsLa Paz, Bolivia 3rd400 m48.0 A 2nd400 m hurdles52.7 A2nd4 × 400 m relay3:11.81982Pan American Junior ChampionshipsBarquisimeto, Venezuela2nd800 m1:50.342nd400 m hurdles51.70Southern Cross GamesSanta Fe, Argentina1st400 m47.471st400 m hurdles50.811st4 × 400 m relay3:11.651985South American ChampionshipsSantiago, Chile5th400 m hurdles52.441986Ibero-American ChampionshipsLa Habana, Cuba2nd400 m hurdles50.17South American GamesSantiago, Chile1st400 m hurdles52.011st4 × 400 m relay3:08.371987World Indoor ChampionshipsIndianapolis, United States18th (h)800 m1:51.57UniversiadeZagreb, Yugoslavia18th (sf)800 m1:51.147th (h)400 m hurdles50.566th4 × 400 m relay3:10.76Pan American GamesIndianapolis, United States5th800 m1:48.395th400 m hurdles50.17World ChampionshipsRome, Italy32nd (h)400 m hurdles50.73South American ChampionshipsSão Paulo, Brazil1st400 m hurdles50.422nd800 m1:48.641st4 × 400 m relay3:07.641988Olympic GamesSeoul, South Korea10th (qf)800 m1:46.451989World Indoor ChampionshipsBudapest, Hungary6th (h)800 m1:48.771South American ChampionshipsMedellín, Colombia 1st800 m1:49.19 A3rd4 × 400 m relay3:06.341990Ibero-American ChampionshipsManaus, Brazil4th1500 m3:43.431991World Indoor ChampionshipsSeville, Spain11th (sf)800 m1:50.60South American ChampionshipsManaus, Brazil 3rd800 m1:48.215th4 × 400 m relay3:14.41Pan American GamesHavana, Cuba4th800 m1:47.59World ChampionshipsTokyo, Japan34th (h)800 m1:50.921992Ibero-American ChampionshipsSeville, Spain2nd800 m1:48.296th4 × 400 m relay3:11.511993World Indoor ChampionshipsToronto, Canada11th (sf)800 m1:50.25South American ChampionshipsLima, Peru 1st800 m1:51.98 2nd1500 m3:51.001994Ibero-American ChampionshipsMar del Plata, Argentina2nd800 m1:49.504th4 × 400 m relay3:08.27South American GamesValencia, Venezuela2nd800 m1:51.241st4 × 400 m relay3:06.921995South American ChampionshipsManaus, Brazil 3rd800 m1:49.803rd4 × 400 m relay3:11.83 1Did not finish in the semifinals
References
External links
1983 year ranking sports-reference