As a prelude to the Lima 2019 Pan American Games closing ceremony, Peru will experience an unforgettable multi-sport day, seeking to climb in the medal table and claiming a place as a country developing its sport, to end its remarkable participation in these Games.   

In this context, spectators at the Villa El Salvador Sports Center will witness the fierce fight for the gold of the Peruvian karate delegation versus the best teams of the Americas, starting at 09:00. 

In Athletics, the Peruvian team will also be determined to win gold in the women’s and men’s 50 km race walk competition, which will take place in Miraflores starting at 07:00. 

On the other hand, gold, silver and bronze medals will be defined in the women’s volleyball competition, with intense matches between  Brazil, Dominican Republic, Argentina and Colombia. The matches will start at 09:00 at the Callao Sports Center. 

Likewise, the Villa María del Triunfo Sports Center will be the stage of various competitions that will test the accuracy and effectiveness of the most outstanding archers of the Americas, starting at 09:00. 

On the other hand, from 11:40 am at Costa Verde, cyclists from various delegations will compete against in a dazzling acrobatics event for the gold medal in BMX freestyle.  

Starting at 11:00 am, at the VIDENA Sport Center 1, the judo preliminary round and final will be held with different events and the participation of Peruvian representatives.  

Finally, golf champions will be defined in the individual and mixed categories at the Lima Golf Club.  

Five years ago, he thought about quitting athletics. The lack of support after an injury that left him out of the track for nearly two years, made him think about other priorities. However, his wife’s support (who is also an athlete) made him persevere. And this afternoon, at the podium of the 3000 meters steeplechase, with a crowd giving him a standing ovation at the athletics stadium, he felt that all was worth it. 

Brazilian Altobeli Santos won the gold, but Bazán managed to pass the last three obstacles and put pressure on the Colombian Carlos Sanmartín, who took the silver, and defeated the American Keter Benard for the bronze. This victory will be with him for many years. 

“During the seven and a half laps, I was thinking how the end was going to be like. We were six in the last 300 meters, but I was mentally prepared to endure the first laps and burn all at the right time. The feeling of winning a medal in my country is amazing. I don’t know if this will happen ever again, running in these great conditions, and that's why I enjoyed it so much,” said Bazán.  

At the age of 31, Bazán has achieved an unprecedented medal in track and field athletics in Peru. This victory adds up to the marathon gold medals of Gladys Tejeda and Christian Pacheco, as well as the silver medal won by of Kimberly Cardoza in race walk, one day before the end of the Lima 2019 Games. His story of personal overcoming should be highlighted. 

"I thought of all the sacrifice I had to make since October last year, away from home, training and competing alone in Europe. Without a doubt, the work of 15 years has paid off, to live this unique moment, with my people supporting me from the stands. When I was starting in this sport, nobody supported me, but sport gives us these satisfactions,” he concluded. 

The Pan American Games have given us a new epic episode for Peruvian sport, as the many others forged in determination and dedication. Now, the 35th medal of the Pan American Games for Peru is a reality.

The last meters of the race were shocking. Laura Galván sped with all her strength in order to leave Jessica Marie O´Connell behind and win the gold medal. 

At the age of 27, the Mexican athlete, born in Guanajuato, was only five seconds away from the Pan American record to give Mexico a new god medal at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games. “I trained really hard and the strategy was to endure and resist, and that’s how things happened,” stated Galván. 

The atmosphere—cold due to the weather—turned warm thanks to the continuous cheers of the audience at the Athletics Stadium of the VIDENA. “There was a lot of emotion and encouragement to Peruvian athletes, but I avoided the distraction and focused on the race,” stated the Mexican athlete.  

Her nails were decorated with the Mexican flag and she showed them smiling along with her gold medal, “I got my nails done in Mexico before coming, the flags are a way to represent my country and be able to win the medal,” emphasized Galván, who also added that the ceramic Milco “is a beautiful present, typical from here and it’s a proof that the Games are spectacular.” Did you know that Virgin Islands won her first won medal at the Lima 2019 Games?  

Peruvian Saida Meneses broke her own mark and established a new South American record in the under-23 category with a time of 15.47.16. “I learned that I must use another type of strategy when facing incredible runners. Even though I broke my record, I was left with the desire to win the medal. However, I know more opportunities will come,” stated the Peruvian athlete. 

Marco Vilca started in the last positions, but little by little the “greyhound” beat all his opponents, placed third in his series and qualified to the 800 m final. 

Vilca, considered the best South American U20 athlete, said that it was a high-level competition.  “My opponents are highly experienced; they have set Olympic and world records. The difference of years of training is obvious; in a few years, I could stand side by side with them,” said Vilca.  

“I run the whole race in the second lane and that exhausted me, but the support of people helped me a lot. I am working hard to set a new record. Today, I couldn’t make it for one second, so I hope to improve it at the final,” said the athlete. 

Vilca will compete in the 800 m final this Saturday at 14:55 at the VIDENA Athletics Stadium.  

On July,26, Edith Noeding did not run into the National Stadium. She entered at a slow pace carrying the Pan American Torch that would start the celebration of the Lima 2019 Games.  

The awarded athlete, Pan American champion in 1975 and considered the best Peruvian athlete of the 20th century, had been chosen to start the party with the torch, which ended when Cecilia Tait lit the cauldron. 

“It was a very special moment, I entered at a slow pace because I was afraid to fall with the torch, could you imagine what would have been happened?” said Edith excited and with a smile when she remembered the moment.  

She was at the Athletics Stadium in VIDENA enjoying the modern facilities and the speed show. “It’s a world-class, spectacular stage that helps to improve times and get new records,” she added.  

She also highlighted the marks obtained by Kimberly Cardoza and Diana Bazalar, who set new national records in these Games. “The girls made new marks, but the tension and the pressure in this type of competitions can make you lose a race, but it’s important compete with athletes that have a good competition level, because that will allow them to get better times. Also, with a scenario like this it is even more possible,” emphasized Edith. 

About the Games, the "Gacela de Oro" (Gold gazelle) mentioned that "everything is working well, the events are on time, the Opening Ceremony was spectacular and we expect the Closing Ceremony is even better.” 

The Peruvian athlete Diana Bazalar had a good performance on the second day of competitions at the new VIDENA Athletics Stadium and set a new national record.

Bazalar competed in the 100-meter hurdles, where she set a new record clocking a time of 13s25c.

The previous record also belonged to Diana Bazalar, who clocked a time of 13s36c at the South American Games in Cochabamba on June 6, 2018, and won the silver medal at the tournament.

Bazalar had the fans support this afternoon at the new Athletics Stadium, which was crowded of people cheering on her at all times. This encouraged her to achieve a new national record.

The British Virgin Islands celebrated. Tonight, the British Virgin Islands obtained its first gold medal in the history of the Pan American Games, after winning the long jump event at the Athletics Stadium of the VIDENA.

The athlete Chantel Malone won with 6.68 m—in her first attempt—and defeated Colombian Caterine Ibargüen, Olympic champion in Rio three years ago, who placed fifth in this competition with 6.54 m.

Malone is 27 years old and was born in Puerto Rico. She placed fifth at Toronto 2015. With this gold medal obtained at the Pan American Games, she entered the sporting history of the small Caribbean archipelago.

Behind Malone, the second and third place went to Keturah Orji (United States) with 6.66 meters and Tissana Patric Hickling (Jamaica) with 6.59, respectively.

It is worth mentioning that the athletics events have already started in Lima 2019 and a great party could be observed on the grandstands, where the colorful flags of the participating countries and the support from the Peruvian fans showed an incredible atmosphere. 

The best Pan American cyclists will race on Wednesday, August 7 in the 100 meters events to get the gold medal at the Athletics Stadium in VIDENA.

This sports competition will take place starting at 16:40 and will be the main attraction of the public, who come to this venue to see the best athletes of the Americas.

Before that, the following competitions will take place in the VIDENA: men's long jump final, women's 800 m final, men's shot put final, and men's 1500 m decathlon with the awarding of a medal.   

There will also be preliminary competitions, such as men's discus throw decathlon, men's 100 m hurdles series 1/2 decathlon, women's 100 m hurdles series 1/2 heptathlon, women's high jump heptathlon, men's pole vault group A decathlon, among others.

Another of the attractions of Wednesday 7 is the debut of the women's volleyball competitions, where the Peruvian team will play its debut at 20:30 against Canada at the Callao Sports Center. Competitions will kick off with a match between Brazil and Puerto Rico at 13:00.

Cyclists Compete for the Gold

Likewise, the best road cyclists of the Americas will compete on Wednesday, August 7 at 09:00 at the Costa Verde beach circuit, where they will try to obtain the gold medal.

20 female cyclists will start the time trial event in a mass road race which has its starting and finishing point at the Costa Verde San Miguel venue, which is located near the exit to Av. Bertolotto and continues until Los Pavos beach in Barranco, where athletes will have to make a U-turn and return to the Costa Verde venue.

Afterwards, 21 male athletes will start the competition following the same route at 11:30. In the case of women's, they will cover a total of 18.5 km and, in the men's category, they will pedal 37 km, making two laps of the circuit.

Following the Pan American sports competition schedule, there will also be a competition in equestrian sports, with the team jumping event, where Peru, Guatemala, Uruguay, Dominican Republic, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, Mexico, Canada, Brazil and United States will participate.

This sports activity will be held at the Army Equestrian School, in La Molina starting at 10:00.

Additionally, The Greco-Roman wrestling competitions will begin with the men’s 60 kg, 67 kg, 77 kg, 87 kg, and 97 kg categories which will be held at the Miguel Grau Coliseum in Callao starting at 10:00.  Two Peruvian athletes, Nilton Soto and Bryan Cruz, will compete and fight to get one of the medals.

Racquetball and table tennis will also define gold medal winners. Racquetball will be held from 10:00 at the Miguel Grau Coliseum in Callao and table tennis, at the Sports Center 3 of VIDENA

The Peruvian football team will play its last match against Ecuador in the dispute of the 7th and 8th place at the San Marcos Stadium at 10:00.

Finally following the sports competition schedule, the sailing, archery, fencing and women’s basketball preliminary rounds will be held.

Hundredths of a second separated the Mexican athlete, Fernando Martínez, from his opponents in the heart-stopping final for the 5000 meters, on the third day of the emblematic sport: athletics.

At the beginning, Martínez was behind the representatives of Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil, who were leading the competition during the first four laps of this exhausting race. However, the cheers of the Mexican public gave him strength and allowed him to take the lead and surpass his rivals, in the last stretch, only for a few seconds.

After winning the gold medal, with a time of 13 minutes, 53 seconds and 87 hundredths, the long-distance runner approached the grandstands, where he was praised by the fans.

Ecstatic by this remarkable triumph, he celebrated to the rhythm of the traditional rancheras, putting on the hat of the Mexican mariachis.

Imitating the characteristic movements of this recognized manifestation of Aztec folklore, he said goodbye to the public gathered at the Athletics Stadium in the National Sports Village.

The Mexican athlete shared the podium with Brazilian Altobeli Santos Da Silva, who made a total time of 13 minutes, 54 seconds and 42 hundredths; and with Chilean Carlos Díaz del Río, who finished at 13 minutes, 54 seconds and 43 hundredths.

It is worth mentioning that this is the 22nd gold medal for Mexico at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games. In addition, this is the second medal in athletics for Mexico, after Risper Biyaki, who won the silver medal in the women’s 10,000 meters event.

The athletics events for the Pan American Games have finally started. The excitement of the Peruvian athletes and the grandstands decorated with the colors of the flags of the participating countries made this day even more special. There were sprint, jump, and throw events.

Although she was not able to clock her season’s best time of 10.73, the Jamaican Elaine Thomas won the heat with a time of 11.36. However, she still achieved the best time in 100 meters in this qualification round.

One of the most expected events was jump, which featured the Colombian Caterina Ibargüen, considered the best athlete in 2018. Nevertheless, she was left behind by Chantel Malone from the British Virgin Islands. Despite nor winning the event, the Colombian athlete thanked the people who supported her: “All my love to the people of Lima. Thank you for this lovely stadium and for welcoming all athletes.”

The first medals were awarded in the discus event, where the Jamaican Andray Dacres landed the gold setting a new Pan American record of 67.68. This way, he surpassed the mark obtained by the Cuban Luis Delis in Caracas in 1983.

The women's 10,000 m race offer up a lot of excitement. The Canadian Michell Wodak took home the gold medal and broke the Pan American record of 31:55.17 . She even ran another lap carrying her country’s flag, along with her compatriot Lorraine Cliff who placed third.

Kimberly Cardona stood out among the Peruvian athletes. She clocked a time of 58.04 in 400 meters with hurdles, breaking the mark of 58.36 she obtained at the Trujillo Ibero-American Championships in Athletics.

The competitions will continue this Wednesday, with the women’s 100 meters event that will be held at 16:40 at the VIDENA Athletics Stadium.