LIMA 2019 AMBASSADOR WINS THE GOLD

Benoit ‘Piccolo’ Clemente, proud Lima 2019 ambassador, made history winning the first gold medal for Peru in surfing.

‘Piccolo’ Clemente confirmed he was the favorite to win gold for Peru, by giving a surf master class in the longboard event.

The Lima 2019 ambassador defeated the Uruguayan Julian Schweizer at the grand final and took the gold medal in a competition attended by the President of Peru Martín Vizcarra and thousands of fans.

With this medal, Peru adds a fifth gold medal to its count. Gladys Tejeda and Christian Pacheco in marathon; Diego Elias in squash, also a Lima 2019 ambassador, and Natalia Cuglievan in water ski won the previous four. Peru has collected 21 medals so far in the Lima 2019 Pan American Games.

A LIFE IN SYNC WITH THE SEA

Although he was born in Cajamarca, the surfer Benoit ‘Piccolo’ Clemente has become a dear son of Trujillo, where he has been living since he was a child and where he started practicing water sports at the age of seven.

At the age of 12 he won his first competition. Then, he went to Lima to improve his skills and he qualified to the highest longboard category. Only a year later he became world champion in China, a title he confirmed in Huanchaco.

"I’ve represented Peru in many different countries, and I can tell that there are amazing beaches in our coastline, where you can easily surf, such as Huanchaco, Helio, Chicama, Máncora, Lobitos, Órganos, the Costa Verde in Lima and Punta Rocas (Lima 2019 venue)," he said.