Born in Jamundí, Valle del Cauca, Colombia, she began her international career with a bronze medal in the 800 metres at the 1999 South American Junior Championships. She competed on the world stage the year after, reaching the semi-finals of the 400 metres at the 2000 World Junior Championships in Athletics. Her first senior medal was an 800 m silver at the 2001 Bolivarian Games. Soon after she was achieving medals at the continental level: after an 800 m bronze at the 2003 South American Championships in Athletics, she helped the Colombian women's 4×400 metres relay team to win a second bronze with veteran Mirtha Brock. García made her first appearance at the Pan American Games that year, finishing thirteenth in the women's 800 m final.