# María Lourdes Ruiz

María Lourdes Ruiz Obando (15 October 1965 – 6 February 2025) was a Nicaraguan athlete who specialised in the discus throw. She represented her country at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo without advancing to the final.
Apart from athletics she also competed in weightlifting. Ruiz died on 6 February 2025, at the age of 59.

## International competitions

| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
| Representing Nicaragua ||||||
| 1984 | Central American Championships | Guatemala City, Guatemala | 1st | Discus throw | 35.36 |
| 1984 | Central American Championships | Guatemala City, Guatemala | 2nd | Javelin throw | 36.46 |
| 1986 | Central American Games | Guatemala City, Guatemala | 2nd | Discus throw | |
| 1988 | Ibero-American Championships | Mexico City, Mexico | – | Javelin throw | NM |
| 1990 | Central American Games | Tegucigalpa, Honduras | 1st | Shot put | 12.32 m |
| 1990 | Central American Games | Tegucigalpa, Honduras | 1st | Discus throw | 44.66 m |
| 1990 | Central American and Caribbean Games | Mexico City, Mexico | 7th | Shot put | 11.41 m |
| 1990 | Central American and Caribbean Games | Mexico City, Mexico | 5th | Discus throw | 43.10 m |
| 1991 | Central American Championships | Tegucigalpa, Honduras | 1st | Discus throw | 42.30 |
| 1991 | Central American Championships | Tegucigalpa, Honduras | 3rd | Javelin throw | 33.72 |
| 1991 | Pan American Games | Havana, Cuba | 8th | Discus throw | 42.50 m |
| 1991 | World Championships | Tokyo, Japan | 29th (q) | Discus throw | 41.78 m |
| 1992 | Ibero-American Championships | Seville, Spain | 6th | Shot put | 11.16 m |
| 1992 | Ibero-American Championships | Seville, Spain | 8th | Discus throw | 44.60 m |
| 1993 | Central American and Caribbean Games | Ponce, Puerto Rico | 7th | Shot put | 11.57 m |
| 1993 | Central American and Caribbean Games | Ponce, Puerto Rico | 5th | Discus throw | 44.18 m |
| 1994 | Central American Games | San Salvador, El Salvador | 2nd | Discus throw | |
| 1997 | Central American Games | San Pedro Sula, Honduras | 4th | Shot put | 10.63 m |
| 1997 | Central American Games | San Pedro Sula, Honduras | 2nd | Discus throw | 40.88 m |
| 1998 | Central American and Caribbean Games | Maracaibo, Venezuela | 8th | Discus throw | 39.27 m |
| 2001 | Central American Games | Guatemala City, Guatemala | 4th | Shot put | 10.03 m |
| 2001 | Central American Games | Guatemala City, Guatemala | 3rd | Discus throw | 37.67 m |
| 2002 | Central American Championships | San José, Costa Rica | 2nd | Shot put | 10.41 m |
| 2002 | Central American Championships | San José, Costa Rica | 3rd | Discus throw | 37.77 m |
| 2002 | Central American and Caribbean Games | San Salvador, El Salvador | 4th | Shot put | 9.95 m |
| 2002 | Central American and Caribbean Games | San Salvador, El Salvador | 5th | Discus throw | 36.64 m |
| 2003 | Central American Championships | Guatemala City, Guatemala | 2nd | Shot put | 10.85 m |
| 2003 | Central American Championships | Guatemala City, Guatemala | 3rd | Discus throw | 35.93 m |
| 2004 | Central American Championships | Managua, Nicaragua | 1st | Shot put | 11.54 m |
| 2004 | Central American Championships | Managua, Nicaragua | 1st | Discus throw | 40.24 m |
| 2005 | Central American Championships | San José, Costa Rica | 4th | Shot put | 10.77 m |
| 2005 | Central American Championships | San José, Costa Rica | 4th | Discus throw | 36.71 m |
| 2006 | Central American Games | Managua, Nicaragua | 1st | Discus throw | 42.18 m |
| 2007 | Central American Championships | San José, Costa Rica | 4th | Shot put | 10.40 m |
| 2007 | Central American Championships | San José, Costa Rica | 3rd | Discus throw | 36.18 m |
| 2010 | Central American Games | Panama City, Panama | 4th | Shot put | 10.74 m |
| 2010 | Central American Games | Panama City, Panama | 5th | Discus throw | 33.74 m |

## Personal bests

* Shot put – 12.92 metres (Managua 1989)
* Discus throw – 47.90 metres (Managua 1989)