Now he has made history after clinching the gold medal at Lima 2019 and qualifying for the Olympic Games. 

The life of Luca Mesinas has always been linked to the sea. He learned how to surf in his hometown, Máncora, and has not stopped ever since.

Now aged 23, the surfer from Piura has made history after winning the gold medal in the main surfing event: Open surfing. This medal has ensured that Mesinas will participate in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which will feature surfing for the first time.

The Peruvian surfer faced a dramatic competition for the gold against Argentinian Leandro Osuna. The latter fought until the very last wave, but was ultimately unable to outperform he Peruvian.

Mesinas claimed the seventh gold medal for Peru in the Pan American Games so far; the country’s medal tally has now reached 23 in the most important multi-sports event in the Americas. This figure is far higher than Peru’s medal count in past similar competitions.

She is only 17 and now she will have the opportunity to participate in the Olympic Games. Daniela Rosas won the gold medal in the women's open surfing event, the main women's competition. 

Trained by the world champion surfer Sofía Mulanovich, Daniela won the gold in a dramatic final that was decided in the last wave. 

Rosas won the sixth gold medal for Peru after beating a more experienced surfer, Ecuadorian Dominic Barona, who believed she had already won the gold medal at one point. 

By winning the open surfing event, Daniela Rosas obtained the quota place for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and joined the Peruvian athletes who have already qualified, such as Cristhian Pacheco in marathon, Alessandro de Souza Ferreira and Nicolás Pacheco in shooting, Stefano Peschiera in sailing, Kimberly García and Mary Luz Andía in race walking. 

With Daniela Rosas' gold medal, Peru's medal tally at Lima 2019 has reached 22. 

Benoit ‘Piccolo’ Clemente, proud Lima 2019 ambassador, made history winning the first gold medal for Peru in surfing.

‘Piccolo’ Clemente confirmed he was the favorite to win gold for Peru, by giving a surf master class in the longboard event.

The Lima 2019 ambassador defeated the Uruguayan Julian Schweizer at the grand final and took the gold medal in a competition attended by the President of Peru Martín Vizcarra and thousands of fans.

With this medal, Peru adds a fifth gold medal to its count. Gladys Tejeda and Christian Pacheco in marathon; Diego Elias in squash, also a Lima 2019 ambassador, and Natalia Cuglievan in water ski won the previous four. Peru has collected 21 medals so far in the Lima 2019 Pan American Games.

A LIFE IN SYNC WITH THE SEA

Although he was born in Cajamarca, the surfer Benoit ‘Piccolo’ Clemente has become a dear son of Trujillo, where he has been living since he was a child and where he started practicing water sports at the age of seven.

At the age of 12 he won his first competition. Then, he went to Lima to improve his skills and he qualified to the highest longboard category. Only a year later he became world champion in China, a title he confirmed in Huanchaco.

"I’ve represented Peru in many different countries, and I can tell that there are amazing beaches in our coastline, where you can easily surf, such as Huanchaco, Helio, Chicama, Máncora, Lobitos, Órganos, the Costa Verde in Lima and Punta Rocas (Lima 2019 venue)," he said.

María Fernanda Reyes picked up the sixth silver medal for Peru in the surfing final, held in Punta Rocas.

The Peruvian athlete reached the second place after being beaten by Brazilian Chloe Calmon, who scored more points in the final round.

The new silver earned by “Mafer” Reyes is the sixth out of the 20 medals so far claimed by Peru in this international competition, which brings together the best athletes in the Americas.

A LIFE CONNECTED TO THE SEA

Maria Fernanda Reyes' life has been linked to the sea since she was born. Maria Fernanda has been surfing since she was five years old. Makaha beach in Miraflores became her second home. Something that shocked everyone was the fact that she surfed without knowing how to swim.

“Mafer” smiles as she tells us her story. Now, her performance at Lima 2019 has drawn smiles on our faces as well. She remembers learning to swim at Makaha beach and at Terrazas Club with the help of some members who have known her since she was little.

“Surfing has given me many opportunities to travel and learn about new cultures. Until I was 13 years old, I'd never traveled to the north. My coach took me to Máncora in Piura. I fell in love with that place. It´s paradise,” she recalled.

Peru added its 19th medal thanks to the surf competition. Peruvian athlete Tamil Martino won silver in men’s SUP surfing.

The Peruvian athlete had a great performance as he qualified early in the morning to the final at the repechage stage. Later, in the final for the gold medal, Martino had a tough competition against Colombian Giorgio Gómez, who finally took the gold home.

With this medal won by Tamil Martino, Peru collects its fifth silver. Other silvers were conquered by Marcela Castillo and Hugo del Castillo in taekwondo, Kimberly García in race walk, and Vania Torres in surf. Peru has collected 19 medals so far during Lima 2019, and historical mark for the country in the Pan American Games

HIS BOARD, HIS DEAREST FRIEND

Tamil Martino said that he was always in contact with the sea, and surfing has been a part of his life since he was 11, when he received his first board. “Those were my beginnings,” he said.

He mentioned his uncle Alonso, who was surfer, was the one that inspired him and that he taught him the first secret of this sport.

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.

The Lima 2019 Pan American Games continue to offer the most impressive multi-sports event in the Americas on its twelfth competition day. The most successful delegations in this continent will compete for the gold in 12 sports to reach the top of the medal table. Peru will aim for a new medal in the 20-kilometer race walk to become the Americas’ leading country in this sport. In Punta Rocas, the Peruvian delegation could make history as it faces the chance to win six medals.

The race walking event will start at 8:00 in Parque Kennedy. The race will start at Parque Kennedy, to continue along Av. José Larco as far as Calle Tarata, and will return on the same street up to Óvalo de Miraflores. The Peruvian representatives in the women’s event are Kimberly García and Mary Luz Andia. In the men’s event, José Carlos Mamani from Puno will be the Peruvian representative. As for García and Andia, they already qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The surfing final, one of the most expected events, will start at Punta Rocas High Performance Center at 9:00. Surfers Benoit ”Piccolo” Clemente, Daniela Rosa and Luca Mesinas, as well as Vania Torres, will represent Peru in the finals. Maria Fernanda Reyes and Tamil Martino will compete in the repechage final phase, meaning a potentially historic result for Peru. A Peruvian victory would grant Peru a leading position in this sport at an international level.

In the first round of men’s football group B, the Peruvian team will face Jamaica at San Marcos stadium. The remaining matches are Panama-Argentina; Ecuador-Mexico and Honduras-Uruguay.

Moreover, Eduardo Dibós Coliseum will host the men’s basketball finals at 18:00.

Meanwhile, the final games of baseball, one of the most popular sports in the continent, will start at 11:05. The Puerto Rico, United States, Argentina and Dominican Republic teams will be ready to hit the home runs that will give them the chance to win the gold, silver and bronze medals.

In the National Sports Village velodrome, the fastest cyclists in the Americas will compete in the track cycling finals, which will be divided in two sessions, starting at 11:05. The Peruvian team will compete in the event, as well as the United States, Chile, Venezuela, Mexico, among other teams.

LUNAHUANÁ AND BUJAMA

The best athletes in the Americas will seek to swiftly cross the fast-moving waters of the Cañete River to win the gold medal in the canoe slalom event. The final event will start at 9:00.

Likewise, Brazil, United States, Argentina, among other teams, will compete to obtain the gold, silver and bronze medals at the Club Lawn Tennis. The exciting end of the tennis events will start at 11:00.

In the Callao Sports Center, the Brazil, Cuba, Chile and Argentina teams will fight for the gold, silver and bronze medals in men’s volleyball at 9:00.

In Laguna Bujama, the Americas' top swimmers will showcase their skills and endurance in the challenging 10-kilometer open water swimming final at 9:00. Meanwhile, the most skilled gymnasts of the Americas will try to clinch gold in the different rhythmic gymnastics competitions to take place at the Villa El Salvador Sports Center at 16:00.

VIDENA

On the penultimate day of diving competitions, two events will be held at the VIDENA Aquatic Center at 10:00. In this event, the athletes will fight for the gold, silver and bronze medals in an intense series of competitions. Additionally, riders will compete for the gold in the jumping event at 8:00 in the Army Equestrian School.

Finally, the final rounds of handball, racquetball, softball and hockey will determine which teams will reach the podium. As for trampoline gymnastics, Basque pelota, water polo, table tennis and sailing, these events will start their qualification stages at Lima 2019, on the way to their finals.

To get more information about the competition schedule and results, you can visit the website: https://www.lima2019.pe/resultados.

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.

Almost immediately after obtaining the bronze medal for Peru, the country's 13th medal at Lima 2019, the young Peruvian surfer Itzel Delgado highlighted the legacy that the High Performance Center at Punta Rocas Beach leaves for Peruvian surfing.

During a press conference offered to provide details on the progress of the Pan American Games, the outstanding Peruvian athlete thanked Panam Sports for promoting lesser-known sports “in front of a worldwide audience”.

"I am very grateful for the legacy left by Lima 2019 with this high-performance center, a world-class facility, which will help the development of surfing, so that Peru wins more medals in the Pan American Games, the Olympics and world championships," he said.

“GOOSEBUMPS”

Although he claimed the gold medal in this discipline, American surfer Connor Baxter confessed feeling “goosebumps” in his first Pan American Games surfing competition.

“Being with a lot of athletes and spectators, I got goosebumps. It was an awesome experience. Thank you for the hard work done behind the scenes. We arrived (in Lima) and focused on winning any medal,” he said humbly.

It is worth mentioning that stand-up paddle surfing consists of an open ocean race where the athlete, standing on a board and supported by one paddle, completes a round-trip circuit.

The competition starts in the sand, up to the buoys placed in the sea, and ends when the competitor crosses the finish line with the paddle in hand.

Peru claimed its position as host of the most important multi-sports event of the Americas with the victory of surfer Itzel Delgado, who won bronze in an exhausting final in Stand-Up Paddle.  

“It’s an honor. I’m very happy because now I’m giving the first steps for the rest of the team to win more medals. This one won’t be the first or the last one in surfing, so let’s go Peru,” said Delgado at the end of the event.  

With this achievement, a historic milestone for the Peruvian delegation has been marked, as this is the first medal obtained in this competitive sport at the Pan American Games.  

The successful participation of the Peruvian surfer was accompanied by the unconditional support of Peruvian fans, who cheered on Delgado during every second of his performance in the waters of the Punta Rocas beach. 

At the end of this competition, American surfer Connor Baxter won the gold medal, and Vinnicius Martins claimed the silver medal for Brazil.  

Alongside the audience cheers, the Peruvian athlete won the bronze medal that places Peru as one of the best teams in the Americas. It is important to mention that, with this result, the Peruvian delegation has now 13 medals in the most important multi-sports event of the Americas.

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