With tears in her eyes, after a rewarding outcome for her unrelenting effort, karateka Alexandra Grande made it to the top of the podium after winning the gold medal in karate – kumite. As a result, Peru achieved a new historic record of 11 gold medals. 

The Lima 2019 Ambassador had to push herself to the limit to win the championship in the -61 kg category and clinch her second Pan American gold, after her victory at Toronto 2015. This made her the second Peruvian woman to win two gold medals at the Pan American Games, after Natalia Cuglievan. 

In an emotional afternoon at the Villa El Salvador Sports Center, the Peruvian fans became Ale’s best ally, as their cheering shook the grandstands. The Lima 2019 Ambassador finally got her revenge against Venezuelan Claudymar Garcés, who was the only opponent that had defeated her in the first round of competition. 

Alexandra Grande burst into tears when she found out she had defeated the Venezuelan athlete with a 6-1 final score. She kneeled and thanked the spectators and her sensei, Roberto Reyna. The Peruvian sportswoman’s excitement was at its top when she hugged her parents, who were her first role models in martial arts. 

With this victory, the Lima 2019 Ambassador obtained the 11th gold medal for Peru, a record number that beats all Peruvian participations in this type of events. This is an unforgettable memory of Lima 2019, where hard work paid off for Peruvian athletes like Alexandra Grande, who has always strived to be the best. 

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.

Since the start of the Pan American Games, the Peruvian frontón players have always had their minds set on the goal medal and they got it. Claudia Suárez and Kevin Martínez claimed the gold medal in frontón, a discipline that was born in Peru.  

The outstanding Peruvian athlete Claudia Suárez beat 2-0her Cuban opponent Wendy Durán in the women’s individual final, held at the Villa María del Triunfo Sports Center. It is the first gold medal in this discipline in the history of the Pan American Games. 

Claudia Suárez, with a 20-year career as the best paleta frontón player, reached the final undefeated with four victories in the qualification stage. She had already beaten Wendy Durán in their debut match, as well as Melina Spahn from Argentina, Diana Rangel from Venezuela, and Rosario Valderrama from Chile.  

PERUVIAN PRIDE 

Then, it was the turn of Kevin Martínez, who had all the support from the people in the stands. Martínez dismissed 2-0 his Argentinian opponent Guillermo Osorio, winning Peru’s 10th gold medal.  

Martínez, seven-time Peruvian champion and two-time South American champion, had already beat Osorio in the qualification stage. 

Kevin started taking advantage during the first eight minutes. After achieving the final point, the young but expert athlete raised his arms and all the people from the stands started to yell: Peru, Peru!

A Peruvian flag was thrown from the stands, and he held close to his chest. Mariano Wong was excited for his victory at Lima 2019. He screamed and celebrated this bronze medal with the spectators of the Villa El Salvador Sports Center. 

The Peruvian karateka defeated the Mexican Waldo Ramírez in individual kata, collecting the 27th medal for Peru in the medal table. His family, who also rooted for him from the stands, praise his persistence and discipline on the tatami. His sensei Akio Tamashiro hugged him too. 

“I actually didn’t see the score. I just went along with the people’s excitement. At first, I tried to stay calm, but I couldn’t after hugging my family who were on the first row. Winning at home was a personal challenge for me, and I didn’t want to let you down. I’ve given up so many thing to reach the podium at a Pan American Games,” said Mariano Wong. 

It is the first time this karateka, who dreams of claiming the Olympic title, has participated in the Pan American Games. He confessed that the joy he felt by representing his country while playing at home was out of this world: “It was the best competition ever because I had the support of my people at all times. You could hear them clapping and that made me feel so strong. I lost the gold medal, but I couldn’t give up so easily because I was still competing. So, I earned he bronze.” 

Her child’s smile, with dreams of greatness, gave her away. The cameras at the VIDENA Aquatic Center focused on her face, when she was about to start her first individual competition at the Pan American Games. Also, fans from the grandstands cheered the youngest athlete at Lima 2019 on, in an amazing way.

What Alexia Sotomayor has achieved is truly notable. At only 13 years of age, she has qualified to the B final in her first official event. It will be an unforgettable memory for her. After a day of competition, she broke the children’s record in the 100 m backstroke. The Peruvian breathed deeply and begins to build her own dreams.

At the end of the event, the Peruvian talent in swimming was under the spotlight of international media, such as Globo from Brazil. She told them her feeling of participating at home and especially, highlighted the Peruvian people’s affection, who stood up to give her a round of applause.

 “I feel proud to have represented Peru, and to have participated at home, is a dream come true. The support all the swimmers received has been incredible and that encourages me to keep going. Competing against top-level swimmers in my first official event, is the beginning of going even further. I’ll achieve my goals little by little,” she said.

Alexia had participated in the 4x100 free relay event in which Peru placed fifth. In addition, she will participate in the 50m freestyle and in the 4x100 medley relay events. The Pan American Games is also the beginning of a story full of successes and dreams to fulfill.

The remodeled Miguel Grau Coliseum witnessed a very emotional day this afternoon, when the Lima 2019 ambassador Thalía Mallqui won the 24th medal for Peru at the Pan American Games, being held at different venues of our country.

The Lima 2019 ambassador won bronze in the women’s 50 kg wrestling category, beating the Ecuadorian Jacqueline Mollocana 3-1 in the repechage round. This was the 11th bronze medal, in addition to the seven gold and six silver medals won by Peruvians three days before the closing of the most important multi-sport event in the Americas.

The participation of the Peruvian athlete ignited the coliseum that never stopped cheering her, chanting “Peru” and her name. This encouraged Thalía Mallqui to achieve the victory that awarded her a medal. The ambassador had won the silver medal in her category at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games. This time, the competitors’ level was very high, with world champions, which complicated her chances of reaching the gold.

Spectators that went to Callao rewarded the effort of the athlete who fulfilled her dream of competing in front of her people and in an international competition like Lima 2019, of which she is a proud ambassador. The other Peruvian who competed for the bronze, Justina Benitez, lost to the Cuban Lianna Montero, in the 53 kg category.

Peruvian Vania Torres fought until the end to catch a good wave, but she was only awarded silver in SUP surfing. This competition took place at Punta Rocas beach.

The Peruvian athlete lost the final to Colombian Isabella Gómez, who qualified from the repechage.

This is the fourth silver medal for Peru, after the one obtained by Marcela Castillo and Hugo del Castillo in taekwondo and Kimberly García in race walking.

Vania Torres ended up crying after not winning the gold in front of the hundreds of Peruvians who cheered on her at all times.

Only 57 seconds separated the Peruvian Kimberly García from the top of the podium; however, the silver medal is the reward for the athlete from Huancayo after all her effort. Peru has three silver medals in athletics competitions and a total of 17. It’s something historic for sports in Peru.

People cheered her on during the 20 km race. She kept pace with Sandra Arenas (gold), but the Colombian took the lead in the final kilometers, and it was difficult for the Peruvian to reach her.

Arenas clocked a time of 1:28:03 and set a new Pan American record. This shows the high level of the competitors, who did not give up until they reached the finish line at Parque Kennedy. The bronze was awarded to the Brazilian Erica Sena, who was also sanctioned for breaking some of the rules in the event.

“It’s the first time that I have won a medal in the Pan American Games and it was amazing to receive the affection from our people. People’s support in the streets was essential because it helped me not to fail and make a good mark (1:29:00). Now, I only hope to be at 100% at the Tokyo Olympic Games,” added the athlete.

Likewise, champion Arenas pointed out that she only focused on the competition, in spite of the adverse weather conditions. “It’s historic for race walking in Peru because Peruvians had never won gold in the Pan American Games, and even achieved a Pan American record in this competition. I had worked very hard with my coaches and the department of psychology to make this possible and we did it,” said the Colombian.

Photo Gallery (click here)

The hours prior to the historic day for the Peruvian surfing team will be endless. Tomorrow Sunday, August 4, six of the Peruvian representatives will try to stand on the highest step of the podium. Surfing’s debut has been taking place at Punta Rocas beach.  

Four of them, Benoit Clemente (longboard), Vania Torres (surf SUP), Daniella Rosas, and Luca Mesinas (surf open) secured their spots in the final. Also, the last two competitors will try to obtain quotas for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. 

Competitions will start from 9:00 with the repechage for the bronze medal, in which two members of the Team Peru will try to get into the finals. The first to go into the sea will be Tamil Martino in SUP competition, followed by María Fernanda Reyes in women’s longboard. If they move to the finals, the Peruvian team will seek the gold medal; otherwise, they will pick up the bronze. 

With these achievements, Peru solidifies themselves as top surfing contenders in the Pan American Games, after seven surfers compete for medals (with Itzel Delgado’s bronze medal). Punta Rocas beach is highly related to Peruvian surf, since that year when Felipe Pomar ruled its waves and won the 1965 Surf World Championships for the first time.

Gymnastics is a discipline, which will undoubtedly be further developed in the next few years in Peru, thanks to the infrastructure that will remain after the Lima 2019 Pan American and Parapan American Games. 

Ariana Orrego, with only 20 years old and one of the Peruvian representatives in this sport, is very clear on that. In an interview with accredited media in the Main Press Center located at the Lima Convention Center, in San Borja, she emphasized that “everything you need to be a good gymnast is in Peru.” 

“The Villa El Salvador Sports Center is new and fully equipped.  There is no longer any need to leave the country (to receive a high-performance training),” she said to the press. 

Moreover, she highlighted the amazing support of the fans, even though in many cases they didn’t know the sport, and even more as being locals. For this reason, she dared to advise children, who (with the attention generated by the Games) are willing to practice sports. 

“It is good that they start practicing sports from an early age,” she said. She expressed her satisfaction with her performance in the competition, as she met the goals she set to reach the final stage. “Now, I’m going for more,” she concluded. 

It is worth mentioning that Ariana participated along with Fabiola Díaz in the women’s artistic gymnastics balance beam finals, and placed eighth and fourth, respectively.