The sporting event hosted by Lima 2019 for more than two weeks still lingers in our memory and undoubtedly the ones that remember it more fondly are the athletes that qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after their victories at the Pan American Games.
Olympic prelude. For many athletes, the Pan American Games became their tickets to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. This has resulted in a high level of competition, according to Lima 2019 spokesperson Carlos Manuel Lazarte.
“Lima 2019 has a record number of qualifying disciplines for Tokyo 2020. This has appealed to athletes of a higher competitive level, because they have come to Lima to achieve their qualification. Qualification in modern pentathlon is already defined and today, either Brazil or Argentina will qualify for the Olympic Games in handball,” he stated.
Carlos Manuel Lazarte also highlighted the fact that Peruvian runner Cristhian Pacheco has qualified for the Olympic Games, even setting a new Pan American record for the men's marathon.
He also congratulated Natalia Cuglievan for her gold medal in water skiing, tricks event. At only 22, this is the second time she has achieved this feat, as she previously picked up the gold medal at Toronto 2015.
“Now that Peru has set this historical record of four gold medals, we expect more success to keep the trend,” he said.
It is important to mention that Peru is ranked eighth in the Lima 2019 overall medal tally with four gold, two silver and two bronze medals. The USA leads the table, with a total of 44 medals, 17 of which are gold.
The race for the Pan American podium will continue on Thursday, July 25. The Lima 2019 Pan American Games got underway with a series of riveting beach volleyball and handball matches. It is now turn for bowling, modern pentathlon, softball and squash competitions to start.
Women's preliminary handball matches, USA vs Dominican Republic (13:00-15:00), Cuba vs Puerto Rico (15:30-17:30), Peru vs Argentina (18:00-20:00) and Canada vs Brazil (20:30-22:30), are part of the sports program to take place at National Sports Village (VIDENA) in San Luis.
Beach volleyball competitions will continue today: 16 matches, in women's and men’s categories, will be held at Costa Verde Center San Miguel from 9:00 to 15:40.
At VIDENA, six men's doubles bowling events will be held from 9:00 to 13:00, while women’s doubles will take place from 16:00 to 20:00. Modern pentathlon will begin with the jumping events starting at 10:00 at Chorrillos Military School.
Men's softball preliminary round game between Mexico vs Argentina will go from 10:00 to 12:30 at Villa María del Triunfo Sports Center. Right after that, Venezuela and United States will clash from 13:00 to 15:30. Peru will close the session as they face off Cuba (16:00-18:30).
Finally, squash events in women’s singles, men’s singles and men’s doubles will be held from 9:00 to 15:00 at VIDENA In the quarterfinals, women’s singles will start at 18:45, while men’s singles will do so at 19:45. To learn more about the program, check out www.lima2019.pe
Let us not forget that Peruvian and international athletes need strong encouragement from us, sports fans, to win as many medals as possible.
You still have the chance to buy your tickets for any of the 26 sports that are available at lima2019.pe/tickets Some of them are: Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling, softball, boxing, archery, baseball, taekwondo, hockey, squash and surf.
Tickets for beach volleyball, shooting, volleyball, racquetball, basketball 3x3, cycling, badminton, track cycling, Basque pelota, karate, tennis, swimming, handball, table tennis and weightlifting are also available.
The Brazilian delegation arrived today in Lima with 120 athletes of the 487 that belong to their delegation, one of the largest to compete in this multi-sports event.
These athletes are members of the basketball 3x3, weightlifting, artistic skating, modern pentathlon, rugby-7, squash, beach volleyball and women’s handball teams. The women’s handball team is the current five-time Pan American champion.
The Brazilian “canarinha” team will be one of the biggest attractions of the Games. Group A, that features Cuba, Puerto Rico, Canada and Brazil, will start playing on July 24 in VIDENA’s Sport Center 1. Group B features the United States, the Dominican Republic, Argentina and Peru.
The women’s Brazilian rugby team will return to the Villa María del Triunfo Sports Center after having won the Women’s Rugby Seven South American Championship there in June. The “verdeamarelas” will compete in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and, in Lima, they hope to seize the gold medal from Canada.
“We have a very tough game ahead of us, but we’re ready for it. First we’re competing with Peru, then Mexico and Canada. We have already been in the venue during the qualifying championship for the Olympic Games and we thought it seemed ready for the Games and that it has great infrastructure and nice changing rooms. Peru is a warm and hospitable place,” assured the rugby player, Rafaella Zanellato.
On his part, Óscar Brandao, member of the men’s beach volleyball team, was excited to put on a good show at the Costa Verde San Miguel venue.
“We won a South American championship here three years ago. I hope to do the same at the Pan American Games. I know that it’s a different and more difficult tournament, but I’m very happy and I hope to give my best. I’ve seen photos of the court and it’s very nice. The energy here in Peru is great for competing; I really like it,” he stated.
The Opening Ceremony of the Lima 2019 Pan American Games will be held at the National Stadium on July 26, 2019. This continental event will gather 6680 athletes from 41 countries and delegations from the Americas.
There will be 19 days of competitions and ceremonies between July 26 and August 11, which will take place in 14 districts of Lima and Callao at various venues like VIDENA, Villa María Sports Center, Callao Regional Village, Villa El Salvador Sports Center, Punta Rocas, among others.
The Lima 2019 Pan American Games will include 39 sports and 61 disciplines, in which athletes will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals. A total of 21 disciplines are qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The Parapan American Games will welcome 1890 Para athletes from 33 countries, who will participate in 17 sports and 18 disciplines. Competitions will take place from August 23 to September 1, 2019. Thirteen sports will be qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
Fifteen athletes and Para athletes, qualified for Lima 2019, were recognized by the Armed Forces of Peru at the Coliseum of the Peruvian Air Force Officers Academy, that will host one of Lima 2019 venues, the shooting range of Las Palmas Air Base.
The president of the Peruvian Military Sports Federation (FEDEMILPE), Major General FAP Moisés Barack Castro; the chief of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces of Peru, General César Astudillo Salcedo; General Commander Jorge Céliz Kuong of the Peruvian Army; Admiral Fernando Cerdán Ruiz of the Peruvian Navy and General Rodolfo García Esquerre of the Peruvian Air Force attended the ceremony led by the Minister of Defense, Jorge Moscoso Flores.
The fifteen honored athletes were: Juan Condori, Jair Mena, Tony Gialescka, Jane Vanessa Collins (Modern Pentathlon); Juan Francia, Hans Alva, Jorge Salinas (Equestrian); Natalia Correa (Rugby sevens); Ángel Adriel (Fencing); Frank Nolberto (Judo); Brianda Rivera, Liz Carrión, Kevin Altamirano (Shooting); José Luis Casas and Carlos Felipa (Para Athletics). Cadets from the three institutions of the Armed Forces of Peru also attended.
Minister Moscoso expressed his enthusiasm and recognition to athletes in his opening speech. He praised their commitment to Peru and the importance of this multi-sports event to be held in Peru for the first time.
“We are here this morning for something special: recognize the effort to prepare for high-level competitions. We are very proud of them. I’m entirely sure that they will give everything day by day to achieve their objectives and represent our country. I’d also like you to remeber this: “Only those who can see the invisible can do the impossible,” he said.
The Peruvian Military Sports Federation (FEDEMILPE), created in 1959, is a non-profit institution attached to the Ministry of Defense and recognized by the IPD. It is affiliated to the International Military Sports Council, which has 137 member nations in the world, and to the South American Sports Union, with 11 member nations in the region.
The president Moisés Barack guaranteed full support for athletes of the FEDEMILPE and the Armed Forces of Peru.
“This year, the personnel of the three Peruvian armed institutions received recognition for their effort, dedication and perseverance. Thanks to their hard training, they have qualified to be members of the national teams participating in these Games. This small but significant ceremony is a recognition to them.”
Para athlete José Luis Casas, in charge of speaking on behalf of a group of top athletes, said that we all are committed to reaching the gold for Peru in Lima 2019.
“We try to improve ourselves daily for the glory of our institutions both at a national and international level. I’d like to finish quoting the British writer Gilbert Chesterton: “The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.” We have many rivals in front of us, but we have our whole country pushing us to victory. Let’s keep moving forward all together," he said.
The opening ceremony of the Lima 2019 Pan American Games will be held at the National Stadium in July 26, 2019. This continental event will gather 6680 athletes from 41 countries and delegations from the Americas.
There will be 17 days of competitions and ceremonies between July 26 and August 11, which will take place in 14 districts of Lima and Callao at various venues like VIDENA, Villa María Sports Center, Callao Regional Village, Villa El Salvador Sports Center, Punta Rocas, among others.
The Lima 2019 Pan American Games will include 39 sports and 61 disciplines, in which athletes will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals. A total of 22 disciplines are qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The Parapan American Games will welcome 1890 Para athletes from 33 countries, who will participate in 17 sports and 18 disciplines. Competitions will take place from August 23 to September 1, 2019. Thirteen sports will be qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.