VIDENA’s Sports Center 2 experienced a festive ambiance. Lights, colors, music and a fun camera made the start of the Para powerlifting a great experience.

The stage was crowded and had the participation of school students of the Santo Domingo El Caminante school of Manchay.

Brazilian Junior de Franca was the first Para athlete won the first gold medal in this competition that started at 11:00. In addition, he set a new Parapan American record by lifting 141 kg in his second attempt.

“It is really gratifying to carry the gold medal and motivate other athletes,” said the also silver medalist of the Hungary 2017 World Championships.

The previous record was of 113 kg and was set in Toronto 2015 by Colombian Juan Carlos Ortiz, but Junior made an incredible effort to break it. “We're champions of the Americas and we want to keep that title. Today I had a double satisfaction,” he said.

Johnny Morales from Colombia, who was participating for the first time in the Parapan American Games, won silver with 125 kg in his best attempt.

“The gold —Junior— was a little ahead, so I should train more to catch him,” said Morales, who took more than one photo with school students, thanking them for their support. “They cheered for me and everything,” said the Colombian athlete.

The Para powerlifting competition will be held on Saturday, August 31, and if you want to keep watching more competition and supporting Para athletes, you can buy your tickets at the official website www.lima2019.pe and at authorized points sale.

Photo Gallery (click here)

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.

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.

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.

Brazil and Guatemala were playing the last minute of the men’s goalball match. Students from General Prado from Bellavista, Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes Nº 5076 school from Callao, and Manuel Seoane school in the district of Mi Perú, were following every play closely, in absolute silence.  

They were able to enjoy the goalball match at the Miguel Grau Stadium in Callao thanks to the “Soy Lima 2019” campaign. This initiative included 31 institutions in its first stage, promoting the Olympic and Paralympic values with activities and sociocultural performances; in its second stage, it raised students' awareness of new Para sport disciplines.   

But the inspiring moment took place after this last minute: Leomon Moreno Da Silva, the world's best goalball player and scorer of the 95 goals which led Brazil to the 2018 world championship, stood up and walked onto the stands to join the musical celebration typical of Lima 2019. 

The Brazilian team, along with Moreno Da Silva, sang “Cariñito”, jumped together with the three schools’ students, took selfies with each group, and shouted out “Perú, Perú, Perú!” and “We can do it! We can do it!”, as a way to acknowledge the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games excellent organization. 

The excitement brought by this was felt throughout the Miguel Grau Coliseum, located in the district of Bellavista, Constitutional Province of Callao. Volunteers gathered together, sang and laughed with the goalball players. This sport was created for the community of persons with visual impairment to allow them to play with passion. 

Sports as a Life-changing Experience 

Teacher César Castillo Reyes, from General Prado school, highlighted that the Pan American and Parapan American Games are the most beautiful events ever held in Peru and they have raised the students' awareness of the inclusion of persons with an impairment thanks to the “Soy Lima 2019” campaign. 

For him, the most important legacy of the Games is that sports are an element of change for society. They encourage children to do sports, be focused and competitive, feel proud of representing Peru and stay busy by doing positive activities for society. 

Teacher Brigitte Palacios from Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes Nº 5076 school agreed that doing sports is important for students and that these competitions help teach them different subjects, such as Math, Science and Environment, Civics, all of them oriented to the Lima 2019 Games. 

On Monday 26, the Peruvian sitting volleyball team will compete against the powerful team of Brazil in the Callao Sports Center for the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games.

This match will be held at 13:00 and will have the support of the fans that will fill up the venue.

Previously, in this same venue, the Peruvian men’s sitting volleyball team will face off the Colombian team at 09:00. At night, the same Peruvian men’s team will play against Costa Rica at 19:00.

On August 26, the following disciplines will award medals: Para athletics, Para cycling track, Para swimming, Para table tennis, and shooting Para sport.

The following Para athletics events will be held at the VIDENA Athletics Stadium starting at 15:00: men’s long jump final T47, men’s discus throw final F56, women’s 400 m T47, women’s shot put final F57, women’s javelin throw final F54, men’s 100 m final T37, among others.

Para cycling track will also be held at VIDENA in two sessions. The first session will start at 11:00 and end at 11:45, and the second session will go from 14:45 to 18:15.

Para swimming will be held at the Aquatic Center in VIDENA starting at 09:00, and Para table tennis will be held in the same venue starting at 10:00.

Finally, the venue where shooting Para sport will be held is Las Palmas Air Base.

The day will be completed with wheelchair basketball (VIDENA), football 5-a-side and football 7-a-side (Villa María del Triunfo Sports Center), goalball (Callao Sports Center), wheelchair rugby (Villa El Salvador), and wheelchair tennis (Lawn Tennis).

Goalball competitions opened with a hard-fought South American classic match between Argentinian and Brazilian men’s teams for the qualifying round of Group A.

This version of the “classic match of the Atlantic” dazzled the spectators who gathered at the Miguel Grau Coliseum in Callao. In this regard, people on the grandstands tirelessly cheered on the Para athletes, who despite they were wearing eyeshades, showcased precision both in attacking and defensive move.

The score was favorable to the “carioca” team after thrashing Argentina 9-2. The Brazilians entered the field determined to win, and they winded up the match in the first half. However, their opponent managed to score two goals in the second half.

The scorer of the match was the Brazilian Josemarcio Sousa, with 4 goals; however, his teammate Leomon Moreno Da Silva stood out for being a key solid defender against the Argentinian team.

Moreno Da Silva, who has been named the world’s greatest goalball player, expressed his gratitude to Lima 2019 for offering a suitable infrastructure to practice this Para sport, as well as for contributing to its promotion and positioning at a continental level.
 

“I am very happy to be able to recognize that in Peru they have made every effort to host a Para sports event that exceeds our expectations, not only for the venues, but also for the hospitality and cheers of the people. That fills me with emotion, and enable my professional and moral growth,” he said effusively.

On the other hand, the goalball player Fernando Rodríguez, who scored the goal for the Argentinian team, pointed out that, due to the ovation and cheers from the Lima fans, he felt as if they were playing as a home team.

“The support of the crowd was amazing and unforgettable; it will remain engraved on my heart. Those words of encouragement that go beyond nationality make us stronger as Para athletes,” he concluded with enthusiasm.

This is how the men’s goalball opening competitions took place, with a great South American classic match, in an atmosphere of brotherhood, where the fans in Lima claim the slogan Let’s All Play!

As a sign that the best athletes of the Americas and even the world are in our country, a new world record was established during the Para athletics competitions at the new Athletics Stadium VIDENA.

In the shot put F46 category (athletes with a physical impairment in the upper limbs), the American Joshua Cinnamo set a new world record of 16m49cm. This way, he won the gold medal in the competition and surpassed his previous mark of 15m98cm in Chula Vista, California, on May 28, 2017.

TICKETS ON SALE

To see these outstanding Para athletes participating in the Parapan American Games, you can purchase tickets ranging from PEN 10. There is a 50% discount for children under 18, senior citizens and people with an impairment. Tickets can be bought at the VIDENA ticket offices (Gates 1 and 10) and the 11 authorized points of sale around Lima.

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

The new VIDENA Athletics Stadium, built for the Lima 2019 Games, saw the first world record broken in an international competition, as an omen of success of the sports event organization.

Brazilian Thiago Paulino broke the world record in the Para athletics’ shot put event, F57 category.

At the start of the Para athletics competition, Paulino broke his own world record by throwing a shot put at a distance of 15m26c. 33-year-old Paulino competed in a category where Para athletes are required to be seated during the throw.

The Para athlete beat his own record at the VIDENA Athletics Stadium, which he had achieved recently on August 10, when he threw a shot put at a distance of 15m11c. He had already surpassed the 14m92cm record achieved by Polish Janusz Rokicki at the 2015 Doha World Cup.  With this mark, Paulino achieved, by far, the gold medal in the competition.

When the passion for football surpasses the limits of physical impairment, you can watch a sport that can move any spectator. The beginning of football-7-a-side, an adaptation of the most popular sport for people with cerebral palsy, amazed everyone at the Villa María del Triunfo Sports Center.

While Peru’s debut was not encouraging, as it lost 10-0 to Brazil, the current two-time Parapan American champion, the highlight was that fans crowded the stands of the rugby stadium (where football-7-a-side is held) to celebrate these amazing Para athletes’ performances with a standing ovation. The “Canarinhos” dominated the game from start to finish, making clear their supremacy in the continent.

The Peruvian supporters, “La Blanquirroja”, encouraged the Peruvian national team, accompanied by Teletón volunteers and Pan American champion Kevin Martínez. The latter followed the player Jesús Díaz with special attention as he will also be part of the Teletón, a national solidarity campaign, that will take place on December 8 and 9.

“We are happy with fans supporting us and encouraging us to keep going, even if the score is not with us. It is very nice to face a team with an impressive record and that placed third in the World Cup. I’m very happy with all that love,” said Jesús Díaz.

Brazilian top scorer Jefferson Cardoso also said: “It is an honor for us to have played in this field and with such a beautiful crowd. Only those who are on the field know the emotion you feel when you are encouraged to surpass yourself every day. God blessed us to win today and begin our journey to the gold medal.”

Action will resume tomorrow at Villa María del Triunfo and Peru will face (09:30) Colombia at the Villa María del Triunfo Sports Center. The event has a round-robin format (six teams in total) in which the two best teams will fight for the gold on August 31.

SUPPORT YOUR TEAM FROM THE STANDS

If you want to be part of this wonderful event, tickets will be available at the ticket booths of the Villa María del Triunfo Sports Center and at the 11 authorized points of sale in the city. There will be a 50 % discount for children under 18, senior citizens and people with an impairment.

You can also purchase them online, at the website lima2019.pe/tickets, where the competition schedules are detailed. 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.