Athletes and Para athletes seek to reach the minimum marks and times that will guarantee their participation in the Lima 2019 Pan American and Parapan American Games; for that purpose, they will be compete in tests organized by the Peruvian Athletics Federation and the National Paralympic Association of Peru, respectively.
Jumper Paola Mautino (the best athlete of 2018), national record-holder Andy Martinez, triple jumper Silvana Segura and hurdlers Diana Bazalar and Kimberly Cardoza, are among the entered competitors. Mautino is already qualified to Lima 2019 after having won the gold medal at the South American Games held last year in Cochabamba (Bolivia).
The preliminary test will be carried out at the Luis Gálvez Chipoco stadium in Barranco starting at 13:00.
Para athletes will be tested on March 9 and 10, but on the Chorrillos Military School’s track. Carlos Felipa and Kenny Pacheco, specialists in discus throws, as well as the young Jesús Castillo, who at only 14 years of age achieved the qualifying mark for Lima 2019 last year, will also compete there.
ATHLETICS TRACK
While they try to make it to the Games with an optimal performance, a group of workers and specialists continue construction in the Athletics Stadium.
The installation of the new synthetic track has already been completed in both the main and warm-up track.
The VIDENA Athletics Stadium will be the main sports legacy Lima 2019 will leave behind and the main competition venue of the Pan American and Parapan American Games.
At the same time, the main track is still under construction, while the stadium’s grandstands are now roofed, area where the central offices, VIP box and broadcast booths are located.
During the Pan American and Parapan American Games, the Athletics Stadium will have capacity for 12,000 spectators and, once the Games are over, it will have a definitive capacity of 6000 people.
OTHER CONSTRUCTION WORKS AT VIDENA
At VIDENA, the placement of the Velodrome’s roof is still in progress; its metallic structure was already installed and today they are in the final stage of laying the canvas that will cover the competition area for track cycling during the Games.
The first water tests for the warm-up pool of the modern Aquatic Center has already begun, while another crew of workers has proceeded to install the technical equipment on the 24 lanes of the Bowling Center.
The VIDENA will be the heart of the Games, because during the Pan American Games it will host the athletics, swimming, track cycling, handball, judo, badminton, table tennis, artistic skating, bowling and squash competitions.
Additionally, it will host Para athletics, Para swimming, wheelchair basketball, Para powerlifting, judo, Para badminton, Para table tennis and Para track cycling at the Parapan American Games.