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.

Photo: Peruvian Olympic Committee 

For the second day in a row, the Callao Sports Center trembled in excitement to support Peruvian taekwondo poomsae athletes. This time, the pair of Ariana Vera and Renzo Saux won the bronze medal after an exhibition that was warmly applauded by the audience. 

The Peruvian pair scored 7.010 points, taking the third place on the podium and only trailing behind Mexico, whose athletes won the gold medal with a score of 7.440 points. Meanwhile, Canada won the silver medal with the same score, but was at a disadvantage after the seven judges' final decision. 

They both discovered sports during their childhood when they were just thinking about playing. Now, 20 years later, they are both our top taekwondo poomsae athletes. It all started as a game and now they devote themselves to a discipline that made its debut at the Pan American Games. 

The Callao Sports Center audience cheered on our athletes on this historic day. The athletes felt the energy coming down from the grandstands and obtained silver medals that will remain in the history of our sport. This date will always remain in their memories. 

Del Castillo started practicing this sport when he was 10. It has been hard to reach the podium in the most important multi-sports event in the Americas: “This silver medal still feels like gold. It's incredible to know that all these years of experience are reflected in this medal. This is a gift for my country at the Pan American Games,” said the athlete. 

“It’s a historic day for Peruvian sport, not only because of the medals, but also to promote this sport among young people and have top-level athletes. We must take advantage of this opportunity to host the best Pan American Games," concluded Del Castillo. 

CYCLE COMPLETE  

Marcela Castillo is two-time gold medalist at the Trujillo 2013 and Santa Marta 2017 Bolivarian Games; however, she is thrilled to have won this medal in Lima. Since she was 8, she competed and dreamed of representing Peru and reaching the Pan American podium. However, her goals are not over yet. 

“When I was 5 and started practicing this sport, I could never imagine what it feels like to represent your country, even more in such an important event that takes place in your own country. I never imagined being here, but it comforts me because I had to work hard to get where I am now,” she said. 

KEEP SUPPORTING THEM 

Tomorrow, Del Castillo and Marcela Castillo will participate in the freestyle event, in which five poomsae athletes will show acrobatic routines. They will show jumps, kicks in the air, twists and acrobatics that will be scored by judges. 

Cheer on our athletes and buy your tickets at lima2019.pe/tickets. The Lima 2019 Organizing Committee has recently installed a point of sale at Jockey Plaza Shopping Center, in Santiago de Surco. This new point of sale joins the other ten already located in 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.  

Tickets prices start at PEN 20. There will be 50% off for anyone under the age of 18, senior citizens and people with an impairment. 

The Lima 2019 Pan American Games will gather 6680 athletes from 41 countries and delegations of the Americas. There will be 19 days of competitions and ceremonies between July 24 and August 11, 2019, which will take place in 14 districts of Lima and Callao. Some venues are the VIDENA, Villa María Sports Center, Callao Regional Village, Villa El Salvador Sports Center, Punta Rocas, among others. 

Marcela Castillo, the girl who began her training in the discipline of taekwondo poomsae at the age of 8, reached her greatest achievement in her tireless rise. Castillo, two-time gold winner at the Trujillo 2013 and Santa Marta 2017 Bolivarian Games, wowed hundreds of fans with her routine at Callao Sports Center.

Castillo scored 7.530 points in the judges’ overall results, only behind Mexican Paula Fregoso, who won a gold medal after scoring 7.660. American Karin Real reached the third place (7.510 points).

Unlike taekwondo kyorugi (combat), poomsae is a mixture of defensive and offensive movements against an imaginary opponent within a set contest area. The routine, which is evaluated by a group of judges, needs to be good in terms of agility, elasticity, technique, accuracy and artistic presentation.

Photo gallery (click here)

The Pan American Games competitions starts on July 24, a few days prior to the Opening Ceremony, and will run until  August 11, where 39 sports, 61 disciplines (21 qualifying Competitions for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games) featuring 6680 athletes from all over the continent..

The Games will start with beach volleyball, which has a new venue in Costa Verde of San Miguel.

The following graph shows the official Sports Competition calendar where athletes of all over the continent will seek glory.

The first gold medal of Lima 2019 will be given at the taekwondo – Poomsae on July 27 a day after the Opening Ceremony. 31 athletes will try to get the golden medal. The award ceremony will kick off at 10:30 in Callao Sports Center.

One the same day, athletes of bowling, artistic skating, squash, marathon, weightlifting, shooting, gymnastics and canoe slalom will be awarded.

Lima 2019 took part in the tribute to UPC athletes who will participate in the Pan American and Parapan American Games.

Carlos Neuhaus, Lima 2019 Organizing Committee President, attended a tribute to athletes from the Peruvian University of Applied Sciences (UPC) who will compete at the Pan American and Parapan American Games. The event took place on the university premises.

Among the attendees were Edward Roekaert, President of UPC; Sebastian Suito, President of the Peruvian Institute of Sports; Jaime Reusche, Main Advisor of Lima 2019; Juan Antonio Silva, Lima 2019 Communications, Commercial and Marketing Manager; and Jenny Martínez, Peruvian delegation Chef de Mission.

Carlos Neuhaus highlighted the athletes’ hard work as they prepare to compete for Peru. “We are happy to have met our goals with the support of the Government. It gave us an event greater responsibility to host the Games efficiently. We are organizing an event within the set budget. This hadn't happened for a long time. Now, It’s time to hand over the baton to the athletes so that they will pick up lots of medals. Lima 2019 will be a turning point for sports and other areas,” he stated.

“We are ready and prepared to be the best hosts in the Americas. We hope the athletes will make themselves at home. We're also ready to welcome our Peruvian athletes at the Village in the coming days. They will have the chance to meet the best athletes in the Americas and the world. We want them to become the new national heroes,” Neuhaus added.

Sixty athletes who study at UPC participated in the tribute, including Hugo del Castillo in taekwondo, Vania Torres in surf, Kimberly Cardoza and José Luis Mandros in athletics, Aleska Burga in archery, and Jesús Salva in Para badminton. They received the Peruvian flag that they will defend at the Games.

ABOUT LIMA 2019

The Opening Ceremony of the Lima 2019 Pan American Games will be held at the National Stadium on July 26. 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 21 disciplines are qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.