(ATR) Peru is off to a quick start at the Pan American Games in Lima.
The morning after welcoming the 41 countries of Panam Sports at the Opening Ceremony, the host country has already won two gold medals as well as a silver.
Peru swept the men’s and women’s marathon events. Christian Pacheco broke a record that had stood since 1983 in winning the men’s event. His time of 2:10:41 was 1:58 better than the previous record time set by Jorge Gonzalez of Puerto Rico in Caracas, Venezuela 36 years ago. Mexico took both silver and bronze through Jose Luis Santana and Juan Joel Pacheco, respectively.
Gladys Tejeda placed top of the podium in the women’s marathon, setting a Pan Am record time of 2:23:09 in the process. She beat the previous record, set by Brazil’s Adriana Da Silva at Toronto 2015 by 2:31. Bethany Sachtleben of the United States took silver and Angie Orjuela of Colombia the bronze. Both set personal bests in the race.
With two gold medals already, Peru seems a pretty good bet to surpass its previous best total of three golds in a Pan Am Games, set in Toronto in 2015. Diego Elias will be playing for the gold in men’s squash later on Saturday.
In taekwondo, Marcela Castillo of Peru finished with a silver medal in the women’s individual poomsae competition. Paula Fregoso of Mexico won gold in the event, with Claudia Cardenas of Ecuador and Karyn Real of the USA winning bronze.
IOC President Leaves Lima
IOC President Thomas Bach departed Lima on Saturday morning. He flew in from Japan late on Wednesday night and attended the Panam Sports General Assembly on Thursday.
He attended the opening ceremony on Friday night at Peru’s National Stadium, sitting alongside the Peru President Martin Vizcarra, Panam Sports President Neven Ilic and Carlos Neuhaus, president of the Lima 2019 organizing committee.
The three-hour opening ceremony, designed to honor Peru’s past while looking at its future, ended with a concert by singer Luis Fonsi and a spectacular fireworks display.
Written by Gerard Farek in Lima
For general comments or questions,click here.
25 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.
Últimas Noticias
Utah’s Olympic venues an integral part of the equation as Salt Lake City seeks a Winter Games encore
IOC president tells Olympic Movement “we will again have safe and secure Olympic Games” in Beijing
Boxing’s place in the Olympics remains in peril as IOC still unhappy with the state of AIBA’s reform efforts
IOC president details Olympic community efforts to get Afghans out of danger after Taliban return to power
North Korea suspended by IOC for failing to participate in Tokyo though its athletes could still take part in Beijing 2022
