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Institucional
It is only 50 days until the Pan American Games, and excitement is running high. This was evident at 6069 Pachacútec school in Villa El Salvador, one of the districts which will be a Lima 2019 venue. Over 900 primary and high school students welcomed young athletes who performed a weightlifting exhibition. This sport will be featured in the Lima 2019 Games.
Weightlifters Gianella Valdiviezo and Santiago Villegas, who participated in the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games, performed an exhibition of clean and jerk and snatch events. These weightlifters are regarded as the future of Peruvian weightlifting.
“I was surprised by this welcome, and it made me feel so good because girls are not used to taking part in a sport like this. That's why I want to motivate them, because there aren't too many women into weightlifting. For example, I loved the concentration that's necessary for these movements,” said Gianella Valdiviezo.
“It was an amazing experience to see so many people encouraging us and, most of all, to be able to promote weightlifting among the students,” said Santiago Villegas.
This exhibition is part of the “2019 TOP Peru at Schools” program, carried out by the Ministry of Education through the Peruvian Institute of Sports (IPD).
Susana Córdova, National Director of Physical Education and Sport from the Ministry of Education, highlighted the importance of the district as a Lima 2019 venue. “Villa El Salvador will welcome the most important athletes in the entire continent. They'll be living in the Pan American Village,” she said.
The students prepared banners related to the Games, since their district will be a Lima 2019 venue and will host athletes from 41 countries. “They're looking forward to the Pan American and Parapan American Games. Knowing that athletes would come to visit, they were eager to prepare these banners so that they'd be read. It was a sports celebration for our school,” said Luisa Rebaza, principal of the school.
Weightlifting competitions will be held from July 27 to 30 at Mariscal Cáceres Coliseum, located at Chorrillos Military School.
