Peru and the Odesur Asunción 2022: why did we get 18 fewer medals than 4 years ago?

In an inauguration full of color, music and fireworks, the Peruvian athletes paraded led by the Olympians Alexandra Grande and Angelo Caro who proudly waved our flag. This was the official start of the Asunción 2022 South American Games that would have a few tough days of competition ahead.

Now that Asunción 2022 has come to an end, it is time to analyze the results, question and criticize if necessary. Peru achieved a total of 74 medals in these Games: 19 gold, 18 silver and 37 bronze. With this, he placed seventh in the general medal table led by Brazil and Colombia, sweeping the competition.

We have to celebrate that new figures have emerged in these Games. Deyvid Toesta and his great performance in the men’s skateboarding final gave us the first gold medal for the delegation. The excellent aim Annia Becerra in shot. The young woman from Arequipa had a very good participation that earned her gold in the 10m Air Pistol. sports like the Threw They have undoubtedly improved in these South Americans, at the 2018 Cochabamba Games they won two gold and now six. Same with Candle that in 2018 he obtained one and in Asunción he achieved three golds.

The consecration of alexandra big excited everyone. The karate fighter was consolidated as the best and now she will arrive at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games to defend her title. The medals that surprised us the most were those of our volleyball teams. Men’s volleyball team He achieved a well-deserved bronze medal after 11 years without international titles. while the girls of the women’s team, They thrilled us with a five-set final to end up beating Argentina and being crowned South American champions.

It is these kinds of moments in which our national athletes make us feel proud. Behind each one of them there are stories of sacrifice and dedication and they deserve to be recognized for the tremendous effort they make representing the colors of our country. Despite this and the great performance of the athletes, the figures and results are worth analyzing in comparison to other editions.

Four years ago in the South American Games in Cochabamba Peru won 92 medals: 22 gold, 29 silver and 41 bronze. This 2022 we have obtained 18 fewer medals and we must ask ourselves why. “Today my initial perception is that we have not only stagnated, but we have regressed,” tells us Patrick Espejo, director of Diario Récord. And that is the truth we are facing. Our country was left with the seventh position of 14 countries, that is to say, in the middle of the table. The same place it had in 2018 and 2014. In other words, we cannot leave that position after so many years as if there had been no improvement.

absences such as Kimberly García running and Diego Elías in squash They are among the most missed in these Games. Athletes who in 2018 gave us gold medals and who now due to their professional careers could not participate in the event. “It’s not bad that our elite athletes prioritize high-ranking tournaments according to their personal goals,” tells us Erick Garay, general editor of ElPoli.pe

It is difficult to look back and realize that what we have experienced in Asunción in recent weeks takes us away from the goal of wanting to be a power in sports in the region, but it is necessary to understand these results. “It hurts to recognize that we have regressed because in the midst of these last two editions of Suramericanos we have had Lima 2019 and what it meant has not been taken full advantage of”, Mirror adds in a meaningful analysis.

The medals won in Asunción show that the talent of our athletes is present and valuable, but the lack of support distances us from other countries at a sporting level. “There is very little concern from the State to support sport and very little management from the federations to complete that support. That combination is causing a setback at the level of results “assures Patrick Mirror.

In Asunción Peru could not reach 20 gold medals or match the number of medals of the last edition. Today we have a Chile and a Venezuela that surpass us and fight for fourth, fifth place, places that Peru could also fight if only the situation were different. “An improvement in the management of the federations is lacking. They must develop tools and think of strategies that make them self-sustaining and that do not have to depend 100% on public money”, Gary points out. He adds that if the capacity of the boards of directors improves, they could attract their own resources and thus continue to develop their sports in high performance.

Within this, we must recognize the individual effort of our athletes who, despite this lack of interest and greater support from the authorities, continue on this path of sport, sacrificing themselves and representing the country in the best way they can. No one seeks to demean the athletes who have won medals in these South American Games, but their results serve as an analysis to see the shortcomings that surround the sport and that if they were improved, they could attract more achievements.