Over eight thousand people, including children and teenagers in school, have benefited from the Solidarity Ticket Program developed by the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games Organizing Committee.

In this context, the students who benefited from this program were able to attend a wide range of amazing Para sports competitions, where the most outstanding Para athletes of Peru and the Americas compete against each other to go down in history and attain glory.

Thus, a value chain is generated and its main link is the public schools that, thanks to their participation, significantly improve their respective curriculums and give more children the unforgettable opportunity to be spectators in the greatest Para sports event of the continent.

On their part, the Peruvian and foreign Para athletes received a priceless reward that will be forever imprinted in their lives: the hospitality, cheers, applause and unconditional support of students who recognized them as perfect representatives of the Paralympic values.

These passionate Para athletes became role models to thousands of children, who learned that, in life, everything can be achieved on the basis of courage and determination, the guiding principles of Paralympism.

In this sense, through this commendable initiative, the goal of Lima 2019 is for the Paralympic values of equality, inspiration, courage and determination to inspire more children in the country and make them awareness-raising agents for an inclusive society that recognizes and provides greater opportunities for people with impairments.

The world-renowned Peruvian creole singer and musical interpreter, Eva Ayllón, will give her voice to the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games, as she will be part of the Closing Ceremony.

The so-called “Reina del Landó” is currently considered one of the greatest icons of Peruvian music and culture for the world, with an uninterrupted career of 49 years. For this reason, it is hoped that her presentation at the Closing Ceremony fills the Athletics Stadium at VIDENA with Peruvian identity and pride.

Recently, the Latin Recording Academy—which awards the Latin Grammy—announced that it will pay tribute to Eva Ayllón, along with other music stars, with the “Musical Excellence” award during a private ceremony and lunch at the Waldorf Astoria in Las Vegas. It is worth mentioning that Eva Ayllón has been nominated nine times to the Latin Grammy.

The Lima 2019 Organizing Committee will announce the completes list of artists and creative team that will give life to the Closing Ceremony, which will be held on Sunday, September 1, at the Athletics Stadium in VIDENA starting at 19:00. This will be an unforgettable show that will give a grand finale to the most important multi-sports event in the continent.

Ram Vijay, from India, is one of the coaches of the Peruvian Para badminton team that is getting ready to collect victories for their country as of tomorrow, when they start their participation in the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games.

He has been accredited as a first-level coach by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). He was also in charge of the Badminton Academy “Play to Learn” in the Arab Emirates and worked as coach at the University of Calicut and as Head of Coaches at the Malabar Badminton Academy.

This experienced coach has been living in Peru for a year and a half now, sharing his knowledge in this sport with the Peruvian Para badminton team and obtaining amazing achievements.

Ram Vijay is sure that the Peruvian Para badminton team will collect many medals during their participation in the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games, which will last until September 1.

He stressed the team members, including Jesús Salvá, Pilar Jáuregui and Pedro Pablo de Vinatea, are training hard and will definitely pick up several medals. The Lima 2019 Ambassadors Pilar and Pedro Pablo are perfect role models for all Para athletes.

The Indian coach has never taken Spanish lessons, but he is learning the language little by little, by listening to the Para athletes and the different people he interacts with every day. He is very happy in Peru and plans to stay as coach of the Para badminton team for another two years.

WHAT IS PARA BADMINTON?

It is badminton adapted to people with impairment. Athletes are classified in categories in order to have a balance according to the level of impairment. It is played half-court depending on the category.

It is worth mentioning that all Para athletes are excited to compete as the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has included this sport in the sports program of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

The IPC has already published a list with the first 16 sports that will be featured at the next Paralympic Games, including Para badminton.

Lima 2019 will mark a milestone at the Pan American and Parapan American Games. After being recognized as the best-organized multi-sports event of the continent in history, Lima 2019 is now considered the event with the best accessible transport system of the Americas.  

 “This is the largest accessible transport operation ever held in Peru. We have transferred Para athletes, technical personnel, judges, media and international delegates on a daily basis through a fleet of vehicles, including cars, vans and buses," emphasized Álvaro Castro, head of the Lima 2019 Transportation Area.

He estimated that during the first five days of Parapan American competitions, 4000 wheelchair users have been transferred and he projected that the number will surpass 10,000 trips when the Games end.

“This marks a milestone in the history of our country in terms of accessible transportation and we are very proud to take part in Lima 2019 and achieve this milestone for our city and Peru,” he said.

EQUIPPED AND ACCESSIBLE VEHICLES

Álvaro Castro said that 210 buses will be available to transport Para athletes, 70 of which can be adapted for eight wheelchairs each. While 140 vehicles are adaptable for two wheelchairs.

“And we have 33 vans adapted for three wheelchairs, fully equipped, which facilitates the transfer of people with an impairment,” he added, pointing out that the general perception about Para athletes transportation has been very positive.

“Transport operations are also marking a milestone in the history of the Games, not only in Peru, but also at an international level, because of the comments we have received from technical delegates and the athletes themselves, which fills us with pride as an organization and a country," he said.

The Parapan American Games will gather 1890 Para athletes from 33 countries, participating in 17 sports and 18 disciplines. Thirteen sports will be qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

The Parapan American Games are in their final stage and this long weekend, which starts on August 29, will be the best chance to enjoy the last days of the event that has left a permanent mark in Peru’s sports history.

The experience of watching the competitions will, of course, be a win-win: our Para athletes will have the warm support of the public, while the public will be filled with motivation and pride when they see them triumph.

Guide for the Long Weekend

There are several Para sports that you can experience as a family, inside the impressive competition venues that, after the Games, will remain as a legacy for all Peruvians.

The competitions include the women’s wheelchair basketball semifinals, which will take place tomorrow with Canada versus Brazil and USA versus Argentina, in Sports Center 1 of VIDENA, starting at 18:30.

The boccia competition will take place during the morning session in the Villa El Salvador Sports Center, between 09:00 and 15:00. The Peruvian team will be competing thanks to Dean Tierry Acosta, Carlos Cano, María Cecilia Pancca and Javier Soto.

Boccia—an adaptation of the ancient Italian game ‘bocce’, played since the times of the Roman Empire—is just as much a sports event as it is a cultural one. Take part in these competitions from Thursday, August 29, to Sunday, September 1.

During the weekend, a good option is to cheer on Peruvian representative and flagbearer, Angélica Espinoza, in Para taekwondo (Miguel Grau Coliseum, Callao). The women’s and men’s competition, as well as the qualifiers, will take place this Friday and Saturday from 09:00 to 13:00. The medals will be decided on Friday and Saturday, starting at 15:00 until 20:00.

Another interesting option is wheelchair tennis. The defining matches will be contested starting tomorrow at Club Lawn Tennis de la Exposición, with the participation of the best tennis players in the world, such as Argentinian Gustavo Fernández. The winners will be decided between tomorrow and Friday, the final day of this Para sport.

Peruvian Support

Other Peruvians who need our support are Dunia Felices, Rodrigo Santillán and Harrison Linares, who will compete in Para swimming (VIDENA) until August 31, as well as the well-known and beloved Lima 2019 ambassadors, Pedro Pablo Vinatea and Pilar Jáuregui, who will compete in Para badminton (VIDENA) and will fight for the gold from August 29 to September 1. The competitions will take place in Sports Center 3 of VIDENA, with a good chance that our Para athletes will make it to the podium.

Another good option is goalball (Miguel Grau Coliseum, Callao), the only sport created specifically for people with a visual impairment. Support our fellow Peruvians until Saturday during two daily sessions (10:00 to 14:00 and 15:00 to 20:00). The ranking will be determined in the men’s semifinals, starting tomorrow.

Buy Your Tickets

Tickets for Lima 2019 Parapan American Games competitions can be purchased at the points of sale located in the Jockey Plaza shopping center in Santiago de Surco and Metro and Wong supermarkets in the districts of Chorrillos, Independencia, La Molina, Lima, Miraflores, San Borja, San Isidro, San Juan de Miraflores, San Miguel and Surco. 

You can also get your tickets on the Lima 2019 website www.lima2019.pe or Teleticket website https://teleticket.com.pe/lima2019.

Tickets start at PEN 10 and there will be a 50% discount for people under the age of 18 and over the age of 60, as well as people with an impairment.

Additionally, if you live in one of the districts where a Lima 2019 Parapan American Games sports venue is located, you can purchase general tickets for the various competitions for only PEN 5.

All you have to do is show your DNI at the ticket booths of the venues in Callao, Villa El Salvador, Villa María del Triunfo, San Luis, San Miguel, Santiago de Surco and Jesús María.

The best 67 Para cyclists of the Americas will compete in time trial and individual road events at the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games, which will be held at the Costa Verde beach circuit in two stages: August 30 and September 1. This circuit will be closed from 22:00 the day before. The route reconnaissance will be held on August 29.

The audience will be able to enjoy both events and support Para athletes, who will compete in men and women categories to achieve their goal. The route will cross six districts of the Peruvian coastline: from Magdalena to Chorrillos.

A total of 47 men and 20 women will participate. The Peruvian team comprises Job Israel Hilario Rimas and Yuber Pichihua Pérez.

Route Reconnaissance

The Lima 2019 Games Organizing Committee and the Peruvian National Police (PNP) reported that the route reconnaissance will take place on August 29. Therefore, the Costa Verde beach circuit will be closed to vehicles from 07:00 to 13:00. The closing zone will be from the access to Av. Universitaria to the access to Av. Huaylas and all the accesses in between.

Time Trial Event

The time trial event will be held on August 30, so this route will be closed from Thursday 29 at 22:00 to Friday 30 at 22:00.  The event starting and finishing point will be the Costa Verde San Miguel venue, which is located near the exit to Av. Sucre until Los Pavos beach in Barranco, where athletes will have to make a U-turn and return to the Costa Verde venue in Magdalena.

The competition route includes the Magdalena, San Isidro, Miraflores and Barranco districts.

For the development of this competition, the Costa Verde beach circuit will be closed for vehicles from August 29 at 22:00 to August 30 at 22:00 from the access to Av. Universitaria to the access to Av. Huaylas and all the corresponding accesses in between.

Individual Road Race

The individual road race event will be held on Sunday, September 1. The competition will start at 08:00.  The route starting point will be the Costa Verse Magdalena venue to Pampilla beach in Miraflores, where athletes will have to make a U-turn and return to the Costa Verde venue.

Therefore, the Costa Verde beach circuit will be closed to vehicles from August 31 at 22:00 to September 1 at 22:00 from Av. Universitaria to Malecón Balta and all the corresponding accesses.

The Lima 2019 Organizing Committee completely enabled the National Sports Village (VIDENA) to guarantee access for Para athletes and people with an impairment, so that the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games are successfully held from start to finish.

VIDENA, the main venue for the Lima 2019 Games, includes the Aquatic Center, the Athletics Stadium and the Velodrome. Their structures have turned it into a sports city and accessible for people with some type of impairment.

In collaboration with the International Paralympic Committee, the sports infrastructure of the venue was designed and built in accordance with the international standards of good practice for events. Therefore, it ensures a legacy of promotion and practice of high-performance Para sports.

For example, autonomous movement is encouraged through ramps with slopes allowing people using wheelchairs or with reduced mobility to travel effortlessly through all common spaces and sports venues of the precinct.

All venues have wheelchair spaces and priority seats with easy access around the field of play. Therefore, regardless of the budget, all spectators can enjoy competitions and future sports events from all areas. All wheelchair spaces have a reserved seat for a companion.

Also, venue elevators can accommodate up to three wheelchairs. They have sound signals and Braille signage to guide people with visual impairments.

Additionally, the precinct has tactile paving on the pedestrian areas and Braille signage throughout VIDENA to facilitate autonomous movement and guidance for people with visual impairments. The paving patterns indicate where to stop or continue. They also warn you about changes in stair levels or bus or car crossings on internal ways.

Bathrooms have been completely adapted with passage width and width at turn, adapted accessories to facilitate handling with poor dexterity in hands or upper limbs, accessible height and distance of accessories for wheelchair users or people of short stature, as well as support accessories for transfer maneuvers from the wheelchair, among others.

Known as universal accessibility, venues have a functional design for everyone, including people with baby strollers, senior people, children, and pregnant women.

The Parapan American Games kicked off on Friday, August 23, with a spectacular opening ceremony held at the National Stadium and will end on Sunday, September 1.

During the seventh competition day at the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games, the Peruvian women’s sitting volleyball team will compete against Canada for the bronze medal in a nerve-racking match. 

The competition will be held at the Callao Regional Sports Center, starting at 19:00. The women’s final between Brazil and the USA will take place at 21:00. As for men’s, the competition for the gold, silver and bronze medals between the teams from Canada, Colombia, Brazil and the USA will start at 15:00. 

In the men’s quarterfinals goalball competitions, the Peruvians will play against the experienced Brazilian team, starting at 10:00, at the Miguel Grau Coliseum in the province of Callao. In women’s, the Peruvian goalball team will face off Brazil again starting at 18:45. 

In the football 5-a-side group stage, the Peruvian team will try to bounce back and make a full recovery against Colombia, starting at 20:00, at the Villa María del Triunfo Sports Center. On the same day, the Argentinian, Mexican, Brazilian and Costa Rican teams will compete against each other as of 15:00.  

As part of the first-round matches in football 7-a-side, the Peruvian team will go up against Argentina, starting at 11:30, at the Villa María del Triunfo Sports Center. The teams from Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and the USA will also try to obtain more points to move to the next stage.  

Besides, the wheelchair basketball matches will also continue at the VIDENA, featuring Puerto Rico, Mexico, Brazil, the USA, Colombia, Chile, and of course Peru.  

Moreover, the best male and female wheelchair tennis players in the continent will compete to obtain their ticket for the singles and doubles finals, at the Lawn Tennis Club, starting at 11:00. 

The Aquatic Center of the National Sports Village will house the last Para swimming matches, where athletes will compete for the gold in two intense sessions scheduled to start at 09:00 and 17:00.   

In Para athletics, the best athletes in the Americas will put their training to the test in a wide range of events, including 100 m, 400 m, javelin throw, 1500 m, 4x100 m mixed relay, discus throw, etc. 

Once again, the world’s best fanbase showed its unconditional support for Peru in every sport. This time, it won over the women's wheelchair basketball team. The fans cheered incessantly at VIDENA Sports Center 1, where Peru lost to Chile in matchday 3 of Group B, as part of the Lima 2019 Games. 

Dozens of Peruvian and Chilean families were in attendance, cheering for their respective teams. This turned into a beautiful competition between both fanbases. Peru took an early lead, but their rivals showed their experience, eventually winning 33-28. 

Starting tomorrow, Peru will play the round of matches defining positions five to eight. The first rivals will be Mexico (12:30). If the Peruvian team wins, it will go through to the fifth-place match. Meanwhile, the women's semifinals will be Argentina vs. USA and Brazil vs. Canada. 

“The support from the fans was exciting and we’ll treasure it in our hearts. Unfortunately, we couldn’t keep up the level we showed at the beginning. But we’ll have our revenge against Chile if we meet in the next round,” said a tearful Jaquelin Burgos. 

CHEER ON THEM FROM THE STANDS! 

You can keep cheering on the Peruvian wheelchair basketball teams in the matches defining positions five to eight. Buy your tickets, whose 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 in the VIDENA ticket offices and the 11 authorized points of sale across Lima. 

They can also be purchased online on the website lima2019.pe/tickets, where the competition schedules are detailed. 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. 

In his debut at the Parapan American Games, and being the youngest of the delegation at only 14 years old, Rodrigo Santillán Cruz was close to win a medal at the Para swimming competition of 50 m backstroke S2. 

The Peruvian finished fourth place with a time of 1:14.17, only 18 hundredths away from the bronze medal, which was taken by the Brazilian Gabriel Dos Santos in the final against Santillán. The Para swimmer had qualified to the final in the morning with a time of 1:13.27.  

The youngest athlete of the Peruvian delegation competes with a motor sensory polyneuropathy, an illness that decreases the capacity to move or feel due to neurological damage.  

Santillán is a student of the Juan Guerrero Quimper school located in the district of Villa María del Triunfo. This was one of the educational institutions toured by the “Soy Lima” campaign, where the students learned about sport values and the development of the Pan American and Parapan American Games in Peru. His school was also granted with free tickets to watch the competitions of the Parapan American Games and, therefore, his classmates were cheering on him from the grandstands of the Athletics Stadium during his performance. 

Rodrigo has three more competitions to reach the podium in his debut at the Parapan American Games. Tomorrow, he will compete in 100 m backstroke S2 (S1) starting at 19:00 at the modern Aquatic Center, which is considered one of the best in the world by the competitors themselves. On Friday, the Peruvian Para swimmer will participate in 50 freestyle S2 (S1) and will finish his participation on Saturday 31, with 100 freestyle S2 (S1).  

TICKETS FOR SALE 

Buy your tickets to witness the best Para athletes of the continent perform at the Parapan American Games. Prices start at PEN 10.00. Also, there will be a 50% discount for children under 18, senior citizens and people with an impairment. Tickets can be bought at the ticket booth in VIDENA (Gate 1 and Gate 10) and at the 11 authorized points of sale around the city. 

Tickets can be also purchased online through lima2019.pe, 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.