Six golds and 34 medals: the factors that made Peru have the best participation in its history in the Parapan American Games

The emotions multiply and everyone celebrates beyond whoever wears the medal on their chest. It is the red-and-white colors that unite them and the happiness is unique when closing an event in style. The Peruvian delegation closed the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games with a total of 34 medals, six of them gold, surpassing not only in quantity, but also in quality the medals that were won in Lima 2019 as host, where it was achieved 5 gold and a total of 15 medals.

And to understand the magnitude of these figures, it must be said that until before this contest, Peru had a total of 37 medals and only in Santiago 34 had been achieved. That is, the historical gain was almost doubled. The same for the golds, which had thirteen in the historical medal table and this year almost half of that sum was achieved.

Great work by the National Paralympic Association of Peru (ANPP) and the Federations that are committed to parasports. And one of them is para-badminton, which yesterday closed its participation with a total of 16 medals, four gold in the tally. It was the delegation with the most para-athletes and had the most podiums with 17 para-badminton players having a medal on their chest.

Thus, there are several factors that have allowed Peru to break its medal record in quantity and quality and below we mention some of them so that you can see where the path of parasports in Peru is going.

CONSOLIDATED FIGURES

When the medals are projected, they are the names that lead the lists and in Santiago they did not fail due to their favoritism. Angélica Espinoza, Paralympic champion, won the gold medal again and did so by beating the number 2 in the world parataekwondo ranking K44 (arm amputation) in the semifinals. The Peruvian fulfilled the role of her favorite and took the gold with authority.

Rosbil Guillén is another important athlete. The athlete won two silver medals and his name is a world medalist, because he already has world and Paralympic participations in his record.

And not to mention the Peruvians in para-badminton, where the name of Pedro Pablo de Vinatea is still valid. Yes, the person who started this whole movement more than ten years ago is still the best in his category (SL3, amputees), and despite not arriving in the best version of him, he achieved gold.

In addition to Giuliana Poveda and Pilar Jáuregui, world champions in SH6 (short stature) and WH2 (wheelchair) who confirmed their good moment in Santiago. Personal revenge for Giuliana, who in 2019 could not compete in the Parapan American Games in Lima because her modality was not open.

SPORTS REVELATION

Daniela Campos says that she began training during the pandemic, assembling her bows with plastic tubes and some threads. With the help of the Paramás Association, para archery found the conditions to train and Daniela Campos was the first woman to practice it.

Daniela practiced sitting volleyball but para-swimmer Dunia Felices convinced her to change scenery and para-archery began to show her abilities. And they traveled to Santiago with three representatives.

YOUNG VALUES

Perhaps it is the most notable because parasports needs continuity in its project and that it is supported by young people allows it to work in the long term. Rodrigo Santillán is 19 years old and is a multiple medalist. Jesús Castillo, also 19, won a medal in para-athletics, are two examples.

In addition, it is worth mentioning that two paraswimmers competed when they were just 13 years old. Micaela Apaestegui and Toshi Kanashiro achieved this record as the youngest of the delegation. Micaela even managed to reach a final.

—

“We have done a good job in different disciplines. This shows more support for adapted sports because there is talent, there is plenty of talent,” says Lucha Villar, president of the ANPP. As a director, she thanked all those who work around parasports, from the paraathletes themselves, the families, the managers, and hopes that they will support parasports so that they continue to add more joys to the country.

Thus, the Parapan American Games are over and now it’s time to think about Paris 2024, the great challenge for Peruvian sports.

MEDAL TABLE