Rosbil “The Wonder” Guillén never imagined being recognized in such short time. He has been roughly for a year in Para athletics and he has already won a gold medal at the Parapan American Games, the greatest competition in the Americas.

But it is not the only thing the Para athlete born in Huaytará, Huancavelica, has achieved. Thanks to his victory in Lima 2019, he will have the chance to compete against the best in the world at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and at the Dubai 2019 World Para Athletics Championships. Something he never imagined when the year began, and he decided to fully dedicate himself to high level competition.

The name “Rosbil Guillén is new in Para sports. He could not have guessed, two years ago, that he would be on the spotlight. He never though getting such important awards so fast, because he has just started training seriously since January last year, when he decided to travel to Huancayo and work along with Sunil Herrera, who was training Efraín Sotacuro. Rosbil Guillén had his revenge and won the first gold medal for Peru.

In few months they noticed his aptitude and earn his right to participate in the Parapan American Games where he surprised everyone after winning the 1500 m T11 competition (Para athletes running with visual impairment and with guides) in Lima 2019. He won the first gold medal for Peru, and that brought the best of news for the runner from Huancavelica, who also lived in Ica.

Thanks to the times he made in the competition, The National Paralympic Association of Peru, chaired by Lucha Villar, informed him that his next challenges would be the Dubai World Para Athletics Championships, to be held next November and that he will be competing in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, the most important sport event of the world. “Thank God they told us we will be participating in the Dubai World Championships and the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. I’m going to compete in the 1500 m and 500 m, with my guide Rio Ferdinand Cerceda, but this time, we will hold each other until the end,” said the Peruvian Para athlete.

Rosbil Guillén is very happy for winning gold so soon. “I’m very happy, and I was even more when they told me I won gold in the 1500 m. I was waiting for this a year ago. I dreamed about winning a medal and it happen. We work really hard to recover the medal we lost in the 5000 m, even I don’t think of this as a revenge. Entering Para sports was a tough call, I didn’t imagine myself doing this, two years ago. It wasn’t my goal, but I began to make better times and getting a good level,” said the Para athlete.

“All these victories are thanks to my guides (he runs with Carlos Gálvez and Rio Ferdinand Cerceda, with whom he won the 5000 m and 1500 m events.) I like Para athletics and that’s why I decided to train (he also played football-5-a-side.) I’m really proud to represent my country and I’m really happy for winning a medal. I’m thankful to God and I’m happy for being recognized by my countrymen. Thanks to all who supported me. Thanks to Gladys Tejeda, Efraín Sotacuro, Luis Sandoval for their advice, they had always encouraged me to be where I am now,” said Rosbil Guillén.

Thanks to Rosbil Guillén, Peru won a gold medal again at Parapan American Games. Twelve years ago. Jimmy Eulert had won three gold medals in 50 m freestyle, 100 m freestyle and 50 m backstroke Para swimming events in Rio 2007.

Guillén's gold adds up to the medals won by Carlos Felipa (silver), Carlos Sandoval (silver), Efraín Sotacuro (bronze) in Para athletics. Jorge Arcela (silver) in shooting Para sport, Rodrigo Santillán (bronze in Para swimming) and Fred Villalobos (bronze in judo.)

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.

They say the first match is always the toughest. Pedro Pablo de Vinatea, is one of the favorites in this competition and that makes him confident. His debut had a positive result at the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games, when he defeated Brazilian Rosso by 2 to 0 (21 to 15 and 21 to 8).

“It is important to start with a victory. It was an easy match at the end, but some moments where hard and I had to push myself. But playing like this, in a full coliseum and in my home, is a new feeling. I’m satisfied with being able to control that pressure,” said Pedro Pablo.

The Lima 2019 ambassador knows that the path is difficult, but as he says, “we’re just starting, and we have to go one step at a time.”

After the match, that lasted 34 minutes, Pedro Pablo was congratulated by the Premier Salvador del Solar and by the Mayor of Lima Jorge Muñoz. They also talked about the importance of inclusion and the value that Lima 2019 has given to this vital subject for the city.

“The impact the Parapan American Games are having in the city is extraordinary,” said the Premier.

After taking photos, Pedro Pablo said that “I had an excellent conversation with them. It’s always an honor that they come see you play, because I admire them a lot and I liked what they said.”

The Para badminton competition will end on Sunday, September 1. If you want to keep watching more competitions and supporting Para athletes, you can buy your tickets at the official website www.lima2019.pe and at authorized points of sale.

Photo Gallery (click here)

The match finished in a short time and although Pilar looked nervous, she smiled at the end of the match. She played against her friend, the US Para athlete Amy Burnett.

At the Sports Center 3 , the gaze of the fans was focused on two of the three courts where the matches took place. Pilar and Pedro Pablo de Vinatea were playing at the same time.

Pilar’s victory was overwhelming with a score of 21 to 4 and 21 to 0. She finished the match faster than Pedro Pablo, and as she said: “I was nervous at the beginning, but when you focus on playing you forget everything. In addition, the coliseum was full of people, I had never imagined such attendance, she stated.

According to Pilar, it was a special match because she did not only face a rival, it was her friend. “I’m a little sad for her, but I’m the host and I have to honor my country. She’s a great friend, she is just beginning and she has made great progress, the difference is noticeable,” she added. Mayor Jorge Muñoz completes para badminton champion’s challenge.  

After the game, Pilar received greetings from the mayor of Lima, Jorge Muñoz, whom she had challenged weeks ago. “He congratulated me and told me to do well and to keep making progress,” she said.

The Lima 2019 Ambassador will continue competing tomorrow to look for a place in the semifinals. “I’ll do my best and now we’ll give it our all,” she concluded.

The Para badminton competition will be held on Sunday, September 1. If you want to enjoy seeing more competitions and cheer on Para athletes, you can purchase your tickets through the official website www.lima2019.pe and in authorized points of sale.

In order to guarantee access to Para athletes and people with an impairment, all sports venues where the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games take place are fully accessible, as they have large corridors, elevators for wheelchairs, including Braille system, tactile walking surfaces, among other advantages.

Edgard Perdomo, Mexican wheelchair basketball Para athlete, said he was very impressed by all the infrastructure built for the Lima 2019 Games and the accessibility that allows a person with some type of impairment to move safely.

He pointed out that this type of sports events allows to showcase the abilities of a person with an impairment and to prove that they are like any person capable of carrying out different activities successfully. VIDENA with full accessibility for people with impairments. 

Alberto Bailón, Mexican wheelchair basketball Para athlete, emphasized that during his travels he has confirmed the great accessibility at the various sports venues, especially with inclined ramps, bathrooms, dressing rooms, gymnasiums, as well as adapted dining rooms and attentive staff, who are always ready to help.

He also said that he has participated in international competitions in other Latin American countries and had never seen such a complete Parapan American Village with so many accessible facilities. He even considered that Peru’s basketball court is not so different from courts of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the United States.”

“Far from being an expense, it’s an investment that unites us and improves the level of a country,” said the Mexican Para athlete very satisfied.

ACCESSIBLE SPORTS VENUES

Pedro Indacochea, accessibility specialist for Lima 2019, said that the National Sports Village (VIDENA) has fully equipped spaces for people with impairments in accordance with international standards of best practices.

He also said that this refurbishment work is part of the legacy that Lima 2019 provides, based on three fundamental pillars: accessibility, Para sports promotion and awareness to familiarize the community in general about impairment.

Indacochea stated that the cost invested for implementation is not so high if you think of the overall benefit for all people in general, not only with impairments, but also senior citizens, children, pregnant women, etc.

“It is not just about doors, ramps, bathrooms, tactile walking surfaces or dressing rooms, but the treatment of people with impairments,” stressed the specialist, concluding that everything implemented is accessible, both for people with impairments and for the community.

On the eighth day of competition at Lima 2019, the Peruvian football 5-a-side team will seek to defeat Brazil in the first round of this exciting Para sport that has captivated all fans.

Everyone is invited to the Villa Maria del Triunfo Sports Center at 17:30 to cheer on the national team. In this venue will also compete the Mexican, Costa Rican, Argentinian and Colombian teams starting at 15:00.

In football 7-a-side, Peru will also open the competition day with a remarkable match against the United States at 09:30 at the Villa María del Triunfo Sports Center. The delegations of Colombia, Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela will also compete on this date.

The women’s national goalball team will also go for victory against Costa Rica at 16:15 at the Miguel Grau Coliseum in Callao. Also, the teams from Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil and the United States will face off starting at 12:30.

On the other hand, at the National Sports Village, starting at 11:00, the most outstanding Para weightlifters from the Americas will aspire to immortalize their names with the gold medal in the challenging Para powerlifting events of -49 kg, -41 kg, -45 kg, -50 kg, -55 kg, and -54 kg, in the men's and women's categories. Peruvian Diego Quispe will be one of the main figures in the -54 kg competition.

Also, at the VIDENA Aquatic Center, two Para swimming sessions will begin at 09:00 and 17:00, respectively. The winners of the gold, bronze and silver medals will be defined in the strenuous 200m individual medley, 400m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 100m backstroke events, among others.

Also, in wheelchair tennis, the most outstanding Para tennis players of the Americas, including the world’s number one Gustavo Fernandez from Argentina, will compete for the gold medal in the quad singles and doubles, men's and women's modality, at the Lawn Tennis Club at 11:00.

Last but not least, the more outstanding Para athletes in the Americas will seek to pass to the next stage in the wheelchair basketball competition. Boccia and Para badminton events will also be held on this date at the Villa El Salvador Sports Center and VIDENA Sports Center 3, respectively, venues that were specifically built for Lima 2019. For more information about the dates and venues, please visit https://www.lima2019.pe/resultados.

The 14-year-old Peruvian Para athlete Rodrigo Santillán has made his dreams come true so far after winning bronze in the 100 meters backstroke S2 event tonight. Peru won its first medal in this discipline and the seventh at the Parapan American Games. The venue for swimming has been one of the most crowded in Lima 2019.

Santillán already had an outstanding performance yesterday, when he finished fourth in the 50 meters backstroke event, only a hundredths away from the podium. This event was a lesson learned for the Peruvian Para swimmer to improve technical aspects tonight.

A polyneuropathy brought Santillán closer to swimming, when he was only twelve years old. That healing method to treat the limb motor impairment made him stronger and now he is a talent in Peruvian sport. Rodrigo reached the third place on the podium with a time of 2:35.27, improving his qualification time of 2:58.14.

Santillán competes again in the preliminary heats of the 50 meter freestyle on Friday at 22:52. The Peruvian athlete will look for a new final. Additionally, Santillán will finish his participation in Lima 2019 with the 100 m freestyle final on Saturday, at 19:07.

CHEER HIM ON FROM THE GRANDSTAND

To the see the other competitions of Santillán, you can buy tickets with prices start at PEN 10. There will be a 50% discount for children under 18, senior citizens

and people with an impairment. Tickets can be bought at the ticket office of the VIDENA and at the 11 points of sale around the city.

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

It is hard to measure the verve that Dunia Felices puts into Para swimming with the Lima 2019 results. It is that dedication that allows fans to identify, in her, the desire of our Para athletes to stand out in an event of the highest level, such as the Parapan American Games.

In fact, the Lima 2019 Ambassador swam in her second final at the VIDENA Aquatic Center and managed to improve aspects in the 100 m freestyle event. “I’m happy because I improved several technical issues. I don’t know if you saw me smile, it was because I was able to do a flip turn, which I’ve been practicing for a month, and that helped me to slide better in the water and improve in the last meters,” she added.

Dunia finished seventh in the event, with a time of 1 minute, 49 seconds and 66 hundredths, more than two minutes faster than the morning preliminaries. “It feels amazing to have the public on my side. Hearing my name and my country’s name has given me a great energy and I value that, because some people even told me they have missed work to come and see my competitions. I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” said Dunia.

The Para swimmer will still compete in the 50 m butterfly and 200 m freestyle events, and she has put all her expectation in the last one. “I’m more of a long-distance swimmer, so I believe I will do better in the 200 m freestyle event. I might be able to reach the first places and improve my personal records. This experience is very useful to me, since I am very new at this type of events that allow me to improve my performance,” she mentioned.

In addition, she points out that the Parapan American Games will be a vehicle for inclusion. “Lima 2019 has helped to raise awareness on our society about us, so that private companies realize that we can work together to improve the conditions of people with impairments in sports. This is a starting point for this process to continue and we enhance the level of Para sports,” she concluded.

CHEER HER ON FROM THE GRANDSTANDS

To attend the competitions where Dunia will be present, you may purchase your tickets starting at PEN 10. There will be a 50% discount for children under 18, senior citizens and people with an impairment.

 Tickets can be purchased at the ticket offices in VIDENA and at the 11 authorized points of sale throughout the city.

They can also be purchased online at lima2019.pe/tickets, where you will 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.

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.

Daniel Dias was only 15 years old when he found a source of inspiration for his sports career. After he watched the Paralympic performance of his compatriot Clodoaldo Silva at Athens 2004 on TV, the best Para swimmer in history decided he would follow Silva’s steps in the water. But he never imagined that, a decade later, he would surpass the six gold medals of his idol.

Since then, nothing got in Daniel’s way, not even a congenital deficiency on his upper and lower limbs. He trained hard and, two years later, he was already on the podium at the 2006 World Cup in Athletics in South Africa. So far, he has claimed 14 Paralympic gold medals (from Beijing 2008 to Rio 2016), 30 Parapan American Games gold medals (from Rio 2007 to Toronto 2015), and 30 world titles. A huge collection of awards!

In fact, he won his third gold at the Lima 2019 Games this afternoon, after earning the victory in 100 m freestyle (S5 category for people with physical impairment). The Brazilian Para swimmer left all his opponents behind right from the start. Dias climbed to the top of the podium in 50 m freestyle and backstroke.

“You end up losing track of all the awards you win in the water. What really makes me want to improve in this sport is my love for my children. I want to show them that, if you work hard, you can exceed your own limits every day and overcome any obstacles. You just have to believe everything is possible,” said Daniel Dias to Lima 2019.

At just 31, Daniel does not know when he will retire from the big Paralympic leagues. For now, he wants to close out this cycle that finishes with Tokyo 2020 on a high note. That is why he keeps pushing himself to the limit. The Brazilian takes great pride when people call him the “Michael Phelps of the Paralympic Movement” in a clear reference to the best swimmer in history.

“It’s an honor to be compared to a swimming legend such as Phelps. I grew up looking up to him and, when I started to gain attention, my goal was to promote this Paralympic sport. Only God knows if I’ll make it to 100 gold medals. I still have to compete at the London 2019 World Cup in Athletics and at Tokyo 2020. So, let’s just take it one step at a time.

To top it off, Dias also won the famous Laureus Award, which is considered the Oscars of sport, in 2009, 2013 and 2016. An award that has only been given to sport legends such as Roger Federer, Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Pelé, Ronaldo, among others.

DO NOT MISS IT OUT

Daniel Dias will compete tomorrow in 50 m butterfly, starting at 17:30, and on Friday in 200 m freestyle. If you want to see this swimming legend, buy your tickets starting at PEN 10.00. There will be a 50% discount for children under 18, senior citizens and people with an impairment. Get your tickets at the ticket booth of the VIDENA or at the 11 authorized stands around the city.

Tickets can be also purchased online on our website 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.

Confirming that she is the best sprinter in the world, the Cuban Omara Durand closed her participation at the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games with a third gold medal, as well as a new Parapan American record in the 400 m event, which was her last competition in Peru.

Durand will always be remembered in the country because she left her name engraved at the Athletics Stadium in VIDENA, where her handprints will be placed next to the ones of Usain Bolt, the fastest man in history. Omara, in her participation at Lima 2019, won all of her competitions without much resistance from her opponents in category T12 (Para athletes with a visual impairment who run with a guide).

In her last competition in Peru, Omara Durand, along with her guide Kindelán Vargas, finished in 52s51c in the 400 m event, breaking her own Parapan American record of 54s22c, achieved a day before in the qualification round.

Omara Durand, considered the fastest Para athlete in the world, won her first gold medal at Lima 2019 in the 200 m event in category T12, and then she did it again in 100 m, just to finish her amazing journey in the country with her third gold medal by winning in the 400 m event.

The Cuban athlete has now eleven Parapan American medals: three won at Rio 2007 (100, 200 and 400 m), two at Guadalajara 2011 (100 and 400 m), three at Toronto 2015 (100, 200 and 400 m) and three at Lima 2019 (100, 200 and 400). Plus, we have to add her five Paralympic gold medals won at London 2012 (two) and Rio 2016 (three).

TICKETS ON SALE

If you want to see the amazing Para athletes who are participating at the Parapan American Games, you can buy your tickets starting at PEN 10. In addition, there will be a 50% discount for children under 18, senior citizens and people with an impairment. Tickets are available at the tickets offices in VIDENA (gate 1 and gate 10) and also at the 11 authorized points of sale throughout the city.

Tickets can be also purchased online at 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 on the screen of their mobile phones at the entrance of the sports venue