The Peruvian Olympic Committee gave the medalists and members of the Peruvian delegation a well-deserved recognition for their outstanding participation in the Lima 2019 Pan American Games.  

This official recognition held at the University of Lima started with the welcome from the president of the university, Oscar Quezada Macchiavello, who expressed that is a great joy and honor to pay tribute to all Peruvian athletes who participate in the most important sports event in the continent. 

“You are a role model for young people and the country, an example of what self-improvement, team work, moral, and good practices mean. This is what we have to learn from sports,” he said. 

For his part, Pedro del Rosario, president of the Peruvian Olympic Committee, stated that the reason of the Pan American Games are the athletes and that this sports event is for them. 

“Imagine if a great infrastructure had been built and no medals would have been won, it would not have been a success. It would have been a great country with a great infrastructure, but in sports we would not have had any medals,” he said. 

Afterwards, diplomas of recognition were given to the athletes who were part of the great Peruvian delegation in these Games, which was the largest delegation in the sports history of Peru. 

The recognition was also for the medical staff in charge of the Peruvian delegation, the volunteers, and the accreditation personnel who helped the Peruvian athletes.  

Then, the Peruvian medalists received a medal display case, a special souvenir from the authorities. 

The athletes Alexandra Grande (gold medal in kumite karate), Kevin Martínez (gold medal in Basque pelota), and Vania Torres (silver medal in surf) were grateful and happy by this recognition.  

The president of the Lima 2019 Organizing Committee, Carlos Neuhaus, executives of the Peruvian Olympic Committee, authorities of the aforementioned university, executives of sports federations and general public were present in this event. 

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In the sixth day of the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games competitions, the “Classic of the Pacific” will come to life when the Peruvian women's national team faces the Chilean team, in the preliminary round of group B. 

The competition will be held at Sports Center 1 of the National Sports Village, at 18:30. Mexico, Canada, Brazil, USA, among other countries, will be also competing in this amazing sport, both in men’s and women’s categories. 

The Peruvian sitting volleyball team will fight for its pass to the final against the experienced USA team, at 19:00, at the Callao Regional Sports Village. The other semifinal will have Brazil and Canada, at 17:00. 

In addition, the Peruvian wheelchair tennis team will be looking to defeat their rivals in singles and doubles quarterfinals against USA and Canada, at the Club Lawn Tennis, starting at 11:00. 

Likewise, in the goalball group stage, Peruvian women’s and men’s trios will be facing Mexico and USA at the Miguel Grau Coliseum of Callao, starting at 10:00. 

As for Para table tennis, players will be fighting for the gold in the 2-5, 3-5, 6-8, 9-10 and 1-2 classes at the Sports Center 3 of Videna, starting at 10:00. 

The Villa El Salvador Sports Center will be the stage of gold, silver and bronze wheelchair rugby matches, starting at 10:00. 

And last, but not least, the best Para athletes of the Americas will be looking for the glory in Para athletics, Para cycling track, Para swimming and shooting Para sport. For more information about schedules and sport venues, visit https://www.lima2019.pe/resultados

Motivation and Effort. Parents and teachers from the Manuel Scorza de Villa María del Triunfo (VMT), Villa Jesús and Fe y Alegría de Villa El Salvador (VES) schools agreed that the delivery of solidarity tickets by the Lima 2019 Organizing Committee is an unprecedented event in our country and helps young students to get closer to the different sports disciplines, but also to Para athletes' perseverance. 

To the rhythm of the Lima 2019 playlist, and with Milco as main choreographer, more than 500 schoolchildren from these two southern districts of Metropolitan Lima supported and cheered on during the wheelchair rugby event held at the Villa El Salvador Sports Center and the Football 5-a-side competition held at the Villa María del Triunfo Sports Center. 

Claudia Narváez, a mother from the Villa Jesús school (VES), highlighted the opportunity that children have to enjoy these top-level competitions and to learn what sports effort is, because they can witness how people with an impairment can overcome any difficulties to practice what they love: sports. 

She also trusted that the excellent sports infrastructure will motivate young people to practice new sports. 

Blanca Esquivel, Science and Technology teacher at Fe y Alegría Nº 17 school, said that it is a great idea to invite students to these competitions, because they learn about new sports and can see the determination and perseverance of the athletes participating in these Parapan American Games. This is crucial for them, because these athletes are a life lesson. 

Thanks to the Soy Lima 2019 campaign, in its second stage, 57 schools in Metropolitan Lima and Callao will benefit from 35,000 free tickets so that primary and secondary school students can enjoy the most important multi-sports event in the Americas.  

Tomorrow, the wheelchair rugby final will be held. 

On August 27 at 12:00, the teams from Canada and the United States will compete for the gold medal. Two hours earlier, Brazil and Colombia will face off for the bronze. Both matches will be held at the Villa El Salvador Sports Center.

Like during the first match that took place in the Villa María del Triunfo Sports Center, the fans were the life of the party as they cheered from the stands with each of Brayan Bartolo’s feints and when Rony Estrada daringly faced the Argentinian forwards, however, they were unable to secure the match and lost 3 to 0. 

The Argentinian team showed better control when handling the ball and quickly took the lead in the scoreboard; five minutes into the match, defender Maximiliano Espinillo scored the first goal with a powerful cross shot. 

Despite this goal, the Peruvian team fought for every ball on midfield and used everything at their disposal to search for a tie, but the good defensive position of the Argentinian team made each attack futile.  

After a recovery by the defense and a quick transition to an attack, Espinillo scored the second goal for Argentina. Halftime started with the score 2-0 and the spectators cheered on the Peruvian team to the beat of “Cariñito” while they recovered for the second half. 

As soon as the second half started, the Peruvian team tried to score a goal, nevertheless, striker Nicolás Vélez scored the third goal for Argentina seven minutes into the second half, deciding the match. 

Despite this, the audience never stopped cheering and, after the match, they gave the Peruvian team a standing ovation for their effort and the grit they put into each play. 

Brazil undefeated in football 5-a-side 

In the first match of this competition day, the Brazilian team beat the Mexican team 3 to 0, with three goals from striker Ricardo Steinmtez. With this result, Brazil’s team remains undefeated in this sport. 

The next match will be on Wednesday, August 28, when Peru plays Colombia at 20:00. Earlier that day, Argentina will play Costa Rica and the Brazil versus Costa Rica match will follow.

There was a lot of expectation at the VIDENA Aquatic Center, and with good reason. Dunia Felices was competing in her first final at the Parapan American Games, and the public was captivated from start to end. Lima 2019 Ambassador lived up to that support, and gave her best to beat her personal best. 

Dunia finished sixth with a time of 52.23 seconds, beating her prior best of 53.38, which qualified her to the biggest multi-sports event in the Americas. The athlete from Ayacucho was moved by the unconditional support received and thanked everyone for coming. 

“I'm happy for having participated in such an important event. I made some nervous mistakes, but I still have the 100m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 200m freestyle events ahead. Beating my time was one of my main goals and I hope to keep on doing it in the other competitions,” said the Para swimmer. 

Dunia will be back in action on Wednesday at 09:00, when she competes in the 100m freestyle S5 qualifying heats. Get your tickets with prices starting at PEN 10, and do not miss Dunia’s competitions. There will be a 50% discount for children under 18, senior citizens and people with an impairment. Tickets can be purchased at the VIDENA ticket offices and at the 11 authorized booths located around the city. 

Tickets can be also purchased online through lima2019.pe/tickets, where you will also find the 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. 

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Children are known by their extreme honesty. And a group of students from the Santa Magdalena Sofia Barat School of La Molina confirmed it. 

Only one word can define their emotions and state of mind during the two-hour tour around the Pan American and Parapan American Village, located in the district of Villa El Salvador: marveled. 

This group of students had the chance to visit the International Zone and were impressed by the attractions of the Casa Perú, lived a mind-blowing virtual experience, and took pictures with the Para athletes at this venue. Lima 2019 was ready to welcome the best Para athletes in the Parapan American Village.  

They also enjoyed the show of the Peruvian National Police trained dogs and had a great time at the entertainment area. 

After the tour, two of the school students summarized this unforgettable experience. First, Joaquín de la Puente was dazzled by Casa Perú and he believed that Para athletes can “overcome any obstacles at these Lima 2019 Parapan American Games”. 

Juan Diego Ferrer was more emphatic about his impressions. When asked what he liked the most there, his had a sounded response: everything. 

“I liked everything: the Casa Perú, the apartments, the entertainment area. I saw myself in the athletes when I saw them playing Play Station (giggles). Obstacles are but an illusion. You can overcome the illusion by seeing the reality. There are things that make us all happy and that helps athletes”, stressed Juan Diego in the wise word of an adult. 

Teacher Jessica Puccinelli considered the students visit to the Parapan American Village a form of awareness campaign on people with an impairment and what they can achieve. Before finishing their visit, students shouted at the same time an encouraging message to the Peruvian delegation in the Parapan American Games: “Let’s all play.” 

After the football 5-a-side match between Peru and Costa Rica, their faces showed the excitement and joy of having experienced, from the stand of Villa María del Triunfo Sports Center, the Peruvian team’s 1-0 win against the Central American team, with a goal from Brayan Bartolo 36 minutes into the match.

The children of the Institución Educativa Nº 6056 Santa Rosa of Villa María del Triunfo showed how happy they were of being a part of the most important multi-sports event in the continent.

The students arrived at the Parapan American Games venue at around 15:00 and were able to enter thanks to the over 35 thousand tickets that were distributed to 57 schools of Metropolitan Lima and Callao, so that they may enjoy the different sports disciplines being contested at the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games.

The goal of this initiative developed by the Organizing Committee is for young students to live this experience and learn Paralympic values, such as respect, determination and courage, so that they become a part of their daily lives.

María Esther Correa Vilca, general coordinator of the school’s primary education, said that she thinks it is wonderful that the students can experience this type of competition up close, that they can appreciate and admire the effort and perseverance of the Para athletes, as well as understand that there are no limits to reach their goals.

“Lima 2019 is a great opportunity for personal development and growth, and for values like friendship, solidarity and hospitality to be included in their education. Today, these kids are motivated because they have not only learnt that we can organize an event of this magnitude, but also that it is possible to win a medal for our country. These are priceless lessons for their future,” she emphasized. 

Correa added that, for example, during daily classes, the students have that excitement that they brought back with them from the Pan American and Parapan American Games. During classes, as part of the learning process, they include the topic of sports, as well as statistics and information about the delegations that arrived to compete in Peru, among other subjects.

She also highlighted that these Games will leave sports infrastructure that will enable young people and students from Peru to practice sports that they did not know about before: “we mustn't only focus on football and volleyball; there are other disciplines that can be developed. Today, these kids tell me that they’re going to win a medal for Peru when they’re older, and that’s the best legacy of Lima 2019: building citizens that know they can be winners too,” she concluded.

As part of the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games, the “En sus Marcas, Listos…Inclusión” (on your marks, set... inclusion) Project was relaunched looking for a more inclusive society through the practice of Paralympic sports in the region. 

This project is led by the Agitos Foundation with the support of the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and the Japanese government, to find new sport talents with some kind of impairment. At the beginning, it only included Peru, Ecuador, El Salvador and Nicaragua, but with this new relaunch, it will include Argentina, Colombia, Chile and the Dominican Republic in the next three years. 

The Peruvian Ambassador in Japan, Sadayuki Tsuchiya, highlighted that his country is very proud for leading this initiative to promote the inclusion of people with impairments and work with Latin American countries that want to change their society. 

He revealed that Japan has contributed around 400 million dollars so far through a special fund, to empower athletes with impairments. 

Meanwhile, the President of the International Paralympic Committee, Andrew Parsons thanked the generosity of the Japanese people for providing financial support that will benefit 400 new athletes with impairments. 

He stressed that these athletes are ambassadors of inclusion and by having the chance to grow, they will show us that they can do incredible things that we cannot even imagine. 

As for the President of the Americas Paralympic Committee, Julio César Ávila, he said that it is very exciting to sign the second stage of the “En sus Marcas, Listos... Inclusión” project, reaching new countries and more people with impairments who will benefit from this opportunity to transform their lives through sport. 

He stated that this could be a tool for social inclusion of great positive impact. 

Furthermore, the Peruvian athlete of Para athletics Jesús Castillo, who is only 15 years old, said that he found sport thank to the project and that he is now very proud to represent Peru in several competitions. 

Meanwhile, the Colombian Para athlete Julián Acosta Méndez stated that being part of the project has been an extraordinary and radical change in his life, that allowed him to represent Colombia with pride and discipline. 

“En sus Marcas, Listos... Inclusión” allows athletes with impairments, with the help of sport managers, to develop their talents and represent their countries at national and international level, achieving great victories. 

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The president of the Lima 2019 Organizing Committee, Carlos Neuhaus, said that Para athlete Carlos Felipa, silver medalist at the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games, is a sports role model, who is leaving a legacy for the children.

“He’s commendable and praiseworthy. He’s a role model to all the kids, a legacy he is leaving for many children,” stated Neuhaus, after saying Felipa practices multiple sports and is one of Peru’s national heroes.

Neuhaus emphasized that Felipa is an example; he is a father, but he has also dedicated himself enthusiastically to athletics and to defending Peru, and that we will most likely see him at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Afterwards, the members of class 111 of the Peruvian Army’s Chorrillos Military School surprised Felipa at the press conference held at the Lima Convention Center. They entered the room singing the anthem of their institution and congratulated him on his achievement.

They then gave the Para athlete a framed photo of all the members of his military class.

Carlos Felipa won a silver medal after finishing in second place in men’s shot put in the F63 category (Para athletes with a physical impairment who compete using prosthetics, or with a lower limb impairment).

Peace

On his part, the silver medalist thanked his fellow military classmates for this gesture and stated that, like those who defend peace and give their all to the point of risking their lives, Para athletes also do so in these competitions by representing their country.

“We are soldiers fighting for peace and sports give us the opportunity to create new values in our society. I believe Lima 2019 is widening our horizon of opportunities, so that we can instill those values that enrich the country in our children,” Felipa said.

Photo gallery (click here)

Although it was originally announced that Lima 2019 ambassador Efraín Sotacuro had won a silver medal for Peru in Para athletics, a sport that is bringing great joy to Peru, the Peruvian ended up receiving the bronze medal due to a sanction appeal by Brazilian Yagonny Reís de Souza.

Sotacuro will be on the podium anyway, even though the Brazilian's appeal was accepted. The day before, the Brazilian Para athlete had been disqualified and lost the second place, which was awarded to the Peruvian. Reis de Souza reclaimed the silver medal and Sotacuro was given the bronze.

It is worth recalling that, in a dramatic competition settled in the last few meters, the Para athlete born in Huancavelica and living in Huancayo was able to reach the podium by crossing the finish line in third place, winning the bronze medal in the 1500m, T46 category (Para athletes with physical impairment in the upper limbs).

The Lima 2019 ambassador was leading the race at times, even though he is not a specialist in this distance but in the marathon. For example, he ran the marathon at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, where he ended up fourth among the best Para athletes in the world.

In the 1500m race, held at the modern track of the Athletics Stadium, Peruvians Carlos Sangama and Piter Ticllasuca also participated, placing fifth and sixth, respectively. The winner was Chilean Mauricio Orrego; another Chilean, Ignacio Sepúlveda, finished forth. Sotacuro and Sepúlveda fiercely fought for the third place; as they were reaching the finish line, Sotacuro managed to overtake the Chilean with the support of all Peruvians present at the Stadium.

Peru now a total of five medals, including this bronze medal won by Sotacuro, and the silver medals claimed by Carlos Felipa and Luis Sandoval in Para athletics and Jorge Arcela in Para shooting, and the bronze medal won by Fred Villalobos in judo.

TICKETS ON SALE

To watch these brilliant Para athletes in action at the Parapan American Games, you can purchase your tickets starting at PEN 10. In addition, there is a 50% discount for children under 18, senior citizens and people with impairments. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket offices at VIDENA (Gate 1 and Gate 10) and in the 11 authorized points of sale across Lima.

You can also get your tickets at the Lima 2019 website: lima2019.pe/tickets, where you will also find the detailed competition schedules. In the case of e-tickets, printing will no longer be necessary since spectators can show their e-tickets from their mobile phones at the entrance of the sports venue.