The Lima 2019 Games became the starting point for modernized sports venues, which have made Peru an eligible destination for national and international sports competitions.  

The venues are fully operational and in optimal conditions, as they were at the Lima 2019 Pan American and Parapan American Games. The fact that five national and international competitions are held this week proves this. 

The 27th Peruvian School Sports Games start today and will run until September 27, with more than 2600 students from 24 regions in competition. Competitions have already started at the modern Aquatic Center in VIDENA, one of the best in the Americas. This is where Alexia Sotomayor, the youngest athlete in the Peruvian delegation at the Pan American Games, showed all her skill to win the gold medals in 50m freestyle, 50m backstroke and relay. 

The students will also compete at the new VIDENA Athletics Stadium in the same competition conditions of those athletes participating in the Pan American and Parapan American Games. 

LAS PALMAS SHOOTING RANGE 

Las Palmas Shooting Range is another Lima 2019 venue holding an international event, built for shooting and Para shooting events. This is where Marko Carrillo and Nicolás Pacheco stepped onto the podium at the Pan American Games, with Jorge Arcela doing so at the Parapan American Games. The 6th Ibero-American Shotgun Championships will take place this week at this venue, in skeet and trap events.  

Official training sessions begin tomorrow and Thursday, and the competitions will be held from Friday 20 to Sunday 22. The event is organized by the FDNTP (Peruvian Shooting Federation). 

The Peruvian team will consist of Alessandro de Souza, Nicolás Pacheco, Asier Cillóniz, Marco Matellini and Flavio Artoni, among the main representatives. Around 40 shooters from Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala and Brazil will participate, as well as the Peruvian team. 

VILLA MARÍA DEL TRIUNFO 

The National Field Hockey Championship will take place this Sunday on the two fields built at the Villa María del Triunfo Sports Center, which will reopen its door for this competition. Admission will be free of charge for all those who want to attend this competition in Southern Lima. 

It will be an unprecedented event, as it is the first edition of this hockey competition, where nine teams (four women’s and five men’s) will compete. San Silvestre Sport, Colegio Mater Admirábilis, OMA and Lima Cricket teams will participate in the women’s events. OMA, Lions, Libardoni, Lima Cricket and Santa María Sport teams will take part in the men’s events. 

Matches between San Silvestre Sport and Mater Admirábilis (women’s); OMA and Lima Cricket (men’s), and Lima Cricket and OMA (women’s) will be played this Sunday 22, starting at 09:00 at the main field of the Villa Maria del Triunfo Sports Center. Santa María Sport will face off Lions (men’s) at field 2, starting at 12:00. 

This morning, the current edition of the Peruvian School Sports Games (JDEN 2019), organized by the Ministry of Education through the Bureau of Physical Education and Sport, was presented at the stunning VIDENA Aquatic Center, with the participation of the Lima 2019 Pan American and Parapan American Games medalists. 

Two weeks after the Parapan American Games ended, one of the Lima 2019 venues will reopen its doors, starting this Monday, to host this school sports event that will gather representatives from the 24 regions of Peru.   

Precisely, the swimming competitions will take place at the modern Aquatic Center. The Athletics Stadium, which recently gathered the best athletes in the Americas, will also be used for these Games. Schoolchildren will be able to compete at the highest level in the same conditions. 

The presentation featured Flor Pablo, Minister of Education; Carlos Neuhaus, president of the Lima 2019 Organizing Committee; Sebastián Suito, head of the Peruvian Sports Institute; Susana Córdova from MINEDU’s Bureau of Physical Education and Sport; and Pan American and Parapan American Games medalists María Fernanda Reyes and Piccolo Clemente, Para athlete Carlos Felipa and boxer José María Lúcar; as well as Kimberly Cardoza and Alexia Sotomayor, who competed in the Pan American Games in athletics and swimming, respectively. 

In this meeting, the Minister of Education highlighted the organization of the School Games in the venues built for Lima 2019. “Being in these Lima 2019 facilities is impressive, because they have left us an important legacy, not only in infrastructure. Lima 2019 also left us a cultural and emotional legacy for a country that looks forward to the Bicentennial with hope.” 

“Lima 2019 gave us the opportunity to confirm that we can do things well when we work together. It also allowed us to show our valuable culture. From now on, we hope to establish an alliance so that sports at school will become the starting point to reach high-level competitions,” said the minister. 

Meanwhile, Carlos Neuhaus, on behalf of Lima 2019, expressed his satisfaction with the organization of the School Games in Pan American and Parapan American venues. “These venues are evidence that the effort was worth it. Seeing so many schoolchildren here will be important, because surely more than one of them will reach the Olympic Games, after previously taking part in the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games. My recent work experience was very exciting and beautiful, especially because the athletes filled us with emotion and made history with the number of medals they won. The impact of the Lima 2019 Games was positive and good for Peru. We have done things well, but this was everyone’s job. The Games filled us with pride and motivation, and made an impact on young people. We are still working here,” Neuhaus said. 

More than 2600 students from 24 regions of Peru will participate in the Peruvian School Sports Games, in addition to 154 Para athletes, who will compete for the first time in this type of school tournaments, with the slogan “Everything Begins Here”. The Games will take place from September 16 to 27, 2019. During this period, the best Peruvian school athletes and Para athletes will put their sports skills to the test in a fair competition that will strengthen a healthy school environment. 

IN THE BEST CONDITIONS 

Lima 2019 will grant the use of the 50-meter pool and the warm-up pool of the Aquatic Center, as well as the grandstands seating approximately 2400 people, for this school competition. 

They will be able to use the main 400-meter track at the Athletics Stadium, and the 400-meter track and warm-up areas, as well as the western grandstand, for approximately 3000 people, the long jump pits and the main field for javelin, shot put, discus and hammer throw events. 

School athletes and Para athletes will be able to compete in the best conditions and on stages where world-class stars shone, such as American Nathan Adrian, winner of eight Olympic gold medals; or Omara Durand, the fastest woman in the Paralympic world and winner of three gold medals at Lima 2019. 

This is how Lima 2019 seeks to contribute to forge future generations, inspired by Olympic and Paralympic values, with world-class sports venues to use sports as a tool for social transformation. 

1. Mexican racquetball player Paola Longoria won her third gold in the Pan American Games, winning the singles and doubles events.
2. Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas took her first gold in the Pan American Games, after winning the triple jump event, even setting a new Pan American record.
3. Colombian cyclist Mariana Pajón got her second gold medal in the Pan American Games, after the one she won at Guadalajara 2011.
4. Argentina’s basketball team clearly won the competition and picked up their second gold medal since Mar del Plata 1995. The team led by Luis Scola amazed the audience at the Eduardo Dibós Coliseum.
5. The Argentina’s hockey teams qualified to Tokyo 2020, showing their talent in each match, at the Villa María del Triunfo Sports Center. “Las Leonas” got their seventh gold and “Los Leones”, the tenth. Total Supremacy.
6. Brazilian tennis player Hugo Calderano won two gold medals in singles and doubles. The best player in the history of the Americas shone in Lima 2019 with his best talent.
7. Cuban wrestler Mijaín López reached his fifth consecutive Pan American gold at Lima 2019. The athlete who is also five-time world champion and three-time Olympic champion thanked the warmth of the Peruvian people.
8. Argentinian men’s rugby team stopped the two-time Canadian champion’s supremacy in the Pan American Games. Los Pumas swept all their rivals, in an amazing physical game, in Villa Maria del Triunfo.
9. Cuban Boxing shone again in a continental competition with eight gold medals out of 10 possible finals. Seven world champions and three Olympians confirmed that Cuba leads in this sport.
10. Brazilian swimmer Leonardo de Deus became three-time Pan American champion in the 200 m butterfly event, even though he was not on the Brazilian Olympic Committee’s initial list. He came in to replace a teammate who tested positive in the doping control. In addition, he claimed gold in mixed 4x100 medley relay, silver in 4x100 medley relay and bronze in 200 m backstroke.
11. Venezuelan fencer Ruben Limardo was crowned three-time Pan American champion in épée event. He also won bronze in the team event, having a total of eight medals in the Pan American Games.
12. Argentinian swimmer Delfina Pignatiello was crowned as the queen of the waters at Lima 2019, when she claimed three gold medals in the races of 400, 800 and 1500 meters. At the age of 19, she is the child prodigy in swimming throughout South America.
13. The American swimmer Margo Geer took four gold medals, one individual and four in relay events, becoming one of the most successful participants in Lima 2019.
14. Colombian athlete Anthony Zambrano won two gold medals in the 400m and 4x400m events, standing out as one of the new South American stars in athletics for the Tokyo 2020 Games.
15. Mexican diver Kevin Berlin was crowned as the new Latin American star after winning the 10m platform individual and synchronized events.
16. Cuban judoka Idalys Ortíz picked up her third consecutive gold medal in the +78 kg event. She is one of the most successful athletes in Cuba.
17. American wrestler Kyle Snyder became Pan American champion for the second time in the 97 kg event.  At the age of 23, he is also Olympic champion and two-time world champion.
18. Swimmer Marcela Cunha won gold in open water swimming and closed a wonderful year, after two world gold medals in the 5 and 25 km aquatic marathon. With 10 gold medals, she was crowned as the woman with the most titles in the World Aquatic Sports Championships and entered the Hall of Fame, after winning at Lima 2019.
19. Peruvian karateka Alexandra Grande and water skier Natalia Cuglievan went down in the history of Peruvian sport after winning their second consecutive gold medals in the Pan American Games. This fact will remain in history.

Many images will remain in our memory, since that July 24, when the eighteenth edition of the Pan American Games started in the beach volleyball courts of Costa Verde San Miguel. The 6680 athletes that visited Lima 2019 left us beautiful moments of triumph and defeat that will forever carved in the memory of each person that had the chance of being part of this sport celebration of the Americas.

1. The Games opening ceremony was a reunion with our culture and national identity. The most touching moment was the participation of the tenor Juan Diego Flórez, singing live Chabuca Granda´s songs.
2. The first medal for Peru was awarded on July 27, in taekwondo – Poomsae. The silver medal for Hugo del Castillo and the medal awarded to Marcela Castillo ignited the fans at the Callao Sports Center.
3. The first gold medal for Peru was awarded on that same day. Gladys Tejeda, and Christian Pacheco right after, broke Pan American records in marathon to earn their medals.
4. Peru ended that memorable July 27 with a third gold medal, after the victory of Diego Elías in squash. In just one day, Peruvian athletes matched the best gold medal count on Pan American Games. 
5. British Virgin Islands (Chantel Malone in long jump), Grenada (Anderson Peters in javelin throw), Bolivia (in racquetball in teams), Barbados (Shane Brathwaite in 110 meters hurdles) and Paraguay (Fabrizio Zanotti in golf) won their first gold medals in the history of the Pan American Games. An indelible memory for these nations in Lima 2019. In addition, Aruba won its first medal with the bronze obtained by Mack van den Eerenbeemt in sailing.
6. Andrea Vargas became the first Costa Rican women to win a gold medal in athletics for her country. She defeated two Americans in the 100 meters hurdles event.
7. Natalia Cuglievan and Alexandra Grande won their second consecutive gold medal .in Pan American Games. They are the most prize-winning Peruvian athletes in this kind of continental events.
8. Peruvian surf took three golds in an unprecedented session in Punta Rocas. Benoit Clemente, Daniella Rosas and Luca Mesinas reached the top of the Pan American podium.                                       
9. Romantic moments. The Argentinian gymnast Federico Molinari proposes to her fiancée Paula Cancio during a live interview. In addition, Peruvian athlete Paola Mautino was surprised by her fiancé and coach, after competing in the 4x100 m event, when he approached her, a ring in his hand, to ask her to marry him.
10. Men's karate reached a milestone for Peruvian sport: four medals in four finals. The kata men’s team took the gold. Peru won three bronzes in the men’s and women’s individual kata and in the women’s team event.
11. The moving drop-off from Argentinian judoka Paula Pareto because of an injury. She fought with a back pain in Lima 2019, but she did it as a champion. However, she could not fight for the bronze and lost by walk-over.
12. In the 4x100 freestyle relay, Brazil defeated USA and completely destroyed the Pan American record at the Aquatic Center.
13. The uncontrollable crying of Brazilian Ederson Vilela at the top of the podium, after winning the 10000 m event at the athletics stadium of VIDENA. Vilela confessed that he did not think he could win this event, that his hopes were on the 5000 m event where he placed seventh.
14. Brazil won the 1500 meters swimming event, after 68 years, in Buenos Aires 1951. Guilherme Costa dominated the men’s endurance event.
15. The Brazilian women’s handball team won its fifth consecutive gold in Lima 2019 by defeating Argentina, for the third consecutive time in this kind of event.
16. Eve Jobs, Steve Jobs’ daughter, competed in the equestrian jumping event and won bronze in the individual contest. The Apple's co-founder heir was very happy with how Peru welcomed her.
17. Argentina made the podium in every group sport, except in women’s basketball. The women’s team lost its match against Colombia by W.O. because athletes were not wearing the uniform agreed at the technical meeting the day before.
18. Nathan Adrian, one of the biggest USA swimming stars, won two gold and three silver medals in Lima. The American swimmers praised the Games organization and was amazed by the five cuchimilcos he received in the podium.
19. The Mexican diver Paola Espinosa reached an amazing score in Lima 2019 by winning her fifth medal in Pan American Games, something that will be forever carved in Mexico’s sport history.

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.

It was his first time at Lima 2019 and he was one of the most cheered athletes. Award-winning American swimmer Nathan Adrian jumped into the pool of the newly-built VIDENA Aquatic center to compete in the 4x100m relay; however, he only managed to win the silver medal.  

“I’m happy because water means home to me, and I think that, no matter the result, it’s a good beginning for Team USA,” Adrian said after the medal ceremony.  

Lima 2019 are Adrian's first Pan American Games, which he regards as a really good experience. “You have the Village experience, other sports, the dining hall and that’s as close as you can get to the Olympic Games.”  

“There are things in life more important than winning medals and, when you are into sports, you learn to overcome the losses and adversities,” said Adrian, who was diagnosed with a serious disease last December .  

With the medal and his cuchimilco in hand, Adrian could not stop smiling and praising the souvenir. “I really love it, this guy looks very nice, it’s special.”  “I like Lima, everything has been really cool,” Adrian said about the Games organization. 

Nathan Adrian will compete in men's 50m and 100m freestyle. He will also take part in men’s 4x200m freestyle relay with Michael Chadwick, Grant House and Drew Kibler, and mixed 4x100m medley freestyle relay with Michael Chadwick, Anne Lazor and Kendyl Stewart. He will also compete in men’s 4x100m medley relay with Daniel Carr, Matthew Josa and Cody Miller, as well as mixed 4x100m medley relay. 

Foto: Marca

People’s support during the last relay was essential for Peru to pass their opponents —with some key strokes— and reach the third place in the heat. This entitles Peru to compete at mixed 4x100 freestyle relay final at the VIDENA Aquatic Center.

Jessica Cattaneo, Sebastián Arispe, Mckenna Debever and Ricardo Espinoza placed Peru right behind Brazil and Canada clocking a time of 3.39.76. They set a new national record in mixed 4x100 freestyle relay final for one second.

“I thank all people who are coming to cheer on us, people who have never seen a swimming competition before but they feel identified because they are Peruvians, it’s amazing,” said Jessica.

“We’ve broken the national record, and we’re so happy,” added Sebastián, who set the previous record of 3.40.17 together with Mckenna Debever, Nicholas Magana and Andrea Cedrón in March 2016.

Mckenna Debever, who barely speaks Spanish, was the last in the relay and said: “people’s support, in a stage I really love, was amazing.”  

Finally, Ricardo Espinoza said: “more than qualifying, we wanted to set a new record, and we did it for a second.”

The Peruvian team will try to reach the podium tonight at 10:07 against Bahamas, Argentina, Canada, Brazil, the USA, Mexico, and Venezuela.

To reach the top of the Pan American Games sometimes you must challenge yourself. This was mostly true in swimming, where the high expectation caused by the competition level of the American and Canadian teams made Brazilians to surpass themselves and fight for a place in the medal table.

It is the case of the Brazilian athlete Leonardo de Deus, three-time Pan American champion in the 200 m butterfly event. He randomly entered the final list in the continental multi-sport event, as the suspension of Gabriel Silva for doping gave him the chance to make history with his team.

Léo de Deus is proud of his military origin as sergeant of the Army of his country. This explains the martial salute he made to his flag at the award ceremony, as did by his teammate Joao Gomes, who competed for hist first Pan American Games, at the age of 33, and conquered the 100 m breaststroke.

Another elite member is Pedro Henrique Spajari, who destroyed the Pan American record with his team in the 4x100 m freestyle relay and defeated the American team lead by Nathan Adrian, multiple times Olympic and world medalist. Spajari overcame a rare syndrome that affected his motor functions when he was 20. As a sergeant of the Brazilian air force, he sang with honor the anthem of his country, from the top of the podium.

“Winning my first gold medal in this kind of competition is really special. We prepared a lot to win this qualification to the Olympic Games, in my case, by overcoming personal problems. In addition, I am proud of representing the Armed Forces of my country because it helped me a lot in my life,” he said.

The first day of swimming was important for Peru too, for the new Peruvian records set by Paula Tamashiro (100 m breaststroke, set in 2008) and Samantha Bello (400 m freestyle). In addition, fans enjoyed Silvana Cabrera´s victory in the 200 m butterfly B final.

Once again, the Pan American Games staged incredible stories of overcoming challenges, stories are a living life lessons for spectators witnessing the achievements of these athletes.