ROSBIL GUILLÉN HAS HIS REVENGE AND WINS FIRST GOLD FOR PERU

A twist of fate. We were all surprised last Saturday when Rosbil Guillén lost the gold medal in the 5000 m race, after crossing first the finish line. His guide made a mistake and he lost the medal, but only four days later, he took a long awaited revenge. This time, he took his precautions. Without hesitations, with no mistakes, fully focused and passionate, Rosbil Guillén came back to his feet, and in a great way.

And as it is with twists and turns of life and sports, he crowned a great victory tonight with the first gold for Peru, thanks to a mistake by Ecuadorian Darwin Castro, who crossed the finish line in front of Guillén.

This way, the “Wonder” Guillén had his revenge and won gold in the 1500 m T11 category event (Para athletes with visual impairment running with guides), to forget the disappointment of losing the medal in the 5000 m when his guide lost him before crossing the finish line.

As Rosbil Guillén acknowledged, he ran this time without making any mistakes, and he placed second in a tough race, with 4 m 23 s 88 c, his best mark for 1500 m where he won the sixth medal for Peru. However, seconds after finishing the event, the judges disqualified the Ecuadorian athlete Castro, and so Guillén reached the top of the podium.

His guide, Rio Ferdinand Cereceda, named after the English footballer who played in the national team and Manchester United in the 2000’s, did not make any mistake and ran along with Rosbil without letting him go until the end, and so Peru received its best moment of this Parapan American Games.

“I’m really happy, and even more because I lost the gold in the 5000 m. This time I played and competed fairly. This medal is for all Peruvians. I’m grateful to God for his blessings and to my family that supported me the whole time to get this medal. Go Peru,” said the Peruvian Para athlete very excited. In this same event, the Peruvian Luis Sandoval placed fourth.

Peru wins again a gold medal in this kind of events after 12 years, when at the Rio 2007 Parapan American Games, Jimmy Eulert won three golds in Para swimming in 50 m freestyle, 100 m freestyle and 50 m backstroke events.

Guillén's gold adds up to the medals won by Carlos Felipa (silver), Jorge Arcela (silver), Carlos Sandoval (silver), Efraín Sotacuro (bronze) and Fred Villalobos (bronze).

Meanwhile, as Lima 2019 Para athletics competitions are closing, Peruvians are showing good performances in their respective events. Jesús Castillo with 12s50c and José Luis Casas with 12s72c achieved their best personal marks in the 100 m T 64 competition (athletes competing with prostheses in lower limbs or with different lower limbs length.) Kenny Pacheco also scored a personal best in shot put F55 (athletes compete in sitting position), with a distance of 8 m 05 cm.

TICKETS ON SALE

To see the brilliant Para athletes of the Americas in action at the Parapan American Games, buy your tickets starting at PEN 10. There will be a 50 % discount for minors, senior citizens and people with an impairment. Tickets can be bought at tickets booth at VIDENA (gates 1 and 10) and at the 11 points of sale in Lima.

Tickets can also be purchased online at lima2019.pe/tickets, where you will also find the sports calendar with detailed competition schedules. In the case of e-tickets, printing will no longer be necessary since customers can show their e-ticket from their mobile phones at the entrance of the sports venue.