Cristina Esmeralda López (born 19 September 1982) is a Salvadoran race walker.

She was born in Ozatlán.

[1][2] She made history by winning the first ever gold medal for El Salvador at the Pan American Games.

At the time, Lopez also had the worries of having her 3-year-old daughter Monica Michelle back in El Salvador undergoing treatment for cancer.

[1][3] Lopez crossed the finish line in 1:38:59, a full minute and 4 seconds ahead of the runner-up.