Returning to the continental competition, she was the runner-up in both 400 m individual and relay events at the 2011 South American Championships in Athletics. She ran a 400 m personal best of 51.59 seconds in Cali then placed fifth at the competitive 2011 CAC Championships. The high altitude conditions at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara saw Padilla run a personal best of 51.76 seconds in the heats then another best of 51.53 seconds in the final – a time which brought her the gold medal and made her the first South American woman to win the 400 m Pan American title. She went on to claim two further medals in athletics for Colombia at the games, first helping the 4×100 m relay team to the bronze medal, then anchoring Colombia's 4×400 m relay to a second bronze and a Colombian record mark of 3:29.94 minutes.