X MENU
Deportes
An authentic Para athletics celebration was held this afternoon with the opening of the Pan American Open that currently brings together 14 countries of the Americas at the modern Athletics Stadium of the VIDENA. This day was productive for Peruvians as they won three silver and three bronze medals at the test event for the Parapan American Games.
Kenny Pacheco stood out in discus throw, landing second place, only behind the Parapan American multi-champion, Cuban Leonardo Díaz. The Peruvian athlete marked 25.70 meters, still far from his personal mark, although it was still within what he had planned for Lima 2019.
“We’re still at a physical preparation stage. We’re progressively lowering the loads, but it’s definitely within what my coach and I were expecting. Next month we’ll start throwing within a 30-meter range to be on my best conditions for Lima 2019,” said Pacheco.
In the speed event of 100 meters T64, Jesús Castillo took the silver medal with 12.75, followed by the Peruvian José Luis Casas with 13.28. The gold went to the Costa Rican Sherman Guity who marked 11.26. This event also allows wheelchair users.
THEY ALSO WON
The third silver of the day was for Raúl La Serna in the T54 event, where Costa Rican Jonathan Alcázar took first place. In the same note, Elder Gallardo and Favio Gálvez also won bronze medals in 100 meters T47 and in T37/38, respectively. Lastly, Carlos Felipa, renowned shot put thrower, marked 10.71 on his fifth attempt, in a combined event that does not award medals.
“I’m at an adaptation stage with my new prosthesis and finishing the physical strengthening. My mind is set on Lima 2019, and little by little I’ll try to get close to my best mark (10.96), which is also a South American record. Either way, it was a good test. Competing at home with your family watching you on the stands is exciting, and I have to adapt myself to that as well,” said Felipa.
THE ACTION CONTINUES
The second day of the Pan American Open starts tomorrow at 15:00, and the Peruvian Para athlete Efráin Sotacuro will join us in the 5000-meter event. There will be other adapted disciplines that will extend the competition schedule to 19:00 at the Athletics Stadium of the VIDENA.
Admission is free for those who want to watch the best Para athletes in the Americas. You only need to pick up your complimentary ticket at Gate 10 on Avenida Canadá.
ABOUT LIMA 2019
The Parapan American Games will gather 1890 Para athletes from 33 countries, participating in 17 sports and 18 disciplines. The competitions will take place between August 23 and September 1, 2019. Fourteen sports will be qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
Peru will have the largest delegation in its history at the Pan American Games. There will be approximately 120 Para athletes, including Para swimmer Dunia Felices, Para badminton players Pilar Jáuregui and Pedro Pablo de Vinatea, and wheelchair basketball player Alejandra Callirgos.
