In an absolute triumph, Colombian athletes dominated the para-athletics stage. The formidable duo of Murillo Maria Alejandra and Obando Jhon Sebastian secured two additional gold medals for their nation, elevating Colombia’s medal tally at the Santiago 2023 Parapan Am Games.

The T20 Women’s 400m featured fierce competition between Murillo Maria Alejandra, Vera Leonela Coromoto (VEN), Da Silva Antonia Keyla (BRA), and Vivenes Diana Carolina (DOM) for a place on the podium.

Murillo (56.25 sec) claimed the championship title, defeating Vera (57.36 sec) and establishing a new Parapan Am Games Record. Keyla (58.68 sec) narrowly missed bronze, edged out by Vivenes (58.51 sec).

The excitement echoed in the men’s long jump, where Vucsics Noah Elijah (CAN) initially seemed poised for gold with a jump of 6.74m. However, Obando Jhon Sebastian (COL), starting on a seemingly weak 6m jump, staged a phenomenal comeback in the second jump, soaring to 7.22m, shattering the Games record and securing a well-deserved gold.

The only other jumper who was able to cross the 7m mark was Ecuadorian Chala Roberto Carlos, recording his best with 7.08m and claiming the silver. Vucsics Noah Elijah (CAN) settled for the bronze with 6.96m.

Chatting with @AthleticsCanada bronze medallist Noah Vicsucs at sunset 🌅 pic.twitter.com/zOEpDPJll9

— Canadian Paralympic Team (@CDNParalympics) November 22, 2023

“I didn’t quite jump to the quality that I wanted to, today. I knew this was going to be a challenging one, given the time of year,” Vucsics told the Canadian Paralympic Committee.

“But I’m really happy. It was a great learning experience for me. Going forward to the Paralympic Games, this is definitely the experience I needed,” he further added.

In Men’s F20 Shot Put, Ecuadorian throwers showcased dominance in Men’s F20 Shot Put, with Congo Jordi Patricio leading from the first throw (14.77m) and clinching gold with a winning throw of 15.52m in the third attempt. He was joined by Yepez Frank Peter (14.20m) and Venezuela’s Valdes Ronny Rafael (13.43m) on the podium for second and third place.

Swimming

 

Brazilian women continued their medal sweep in the 200m Individual Medley. Ana Soares, Beatriz and Debora Borges battled each other for the spots and had a neck-to-neck finish where Ana (2:37.35 sec) won the gold. Beatriz tried her best to claim another silver and repeat the podium finish from the first day, but Debora defeated her sister by 0.07sec.

While others are trying to find a spot on the podium, Gabriel Bandeira has a completely different game going on and seems to be chasing the Games record. In S14 Men’s 200m Individual Medley, Bandeira swims out with another Parapan Am record yesterday with 2:10.59 sec, winning his fourth gold from the games.

Macdonald Tyson (CAN) won his first silver from the event while Maidana Lautaro (ARG) settled for the bronze.

“It feels great to get an upgrade from the bronze.. haha…nah, it was a great race. I am pretty sure that this was the second fast I have ever been in my life in that event so I could not be happier with how this event turned out and the entire games,” Tyson told the Canadian Paralympic Committee. 

As the games

Historic moments continue to unfold at the Santiago 2023 aquatic venue for the third consecutive day.

In the Women’s category, the Carneiro sisters, Debora and Beatrice, engage in a dramatic and emotional showdown in the 100m Breaststroke.

Beatrice (1:14.98 sec) avenges the 2019 Lima Parapan Games by defeating Debora (1:15.02 sec) and sets a new record, surpassing her identical twin’s achievement.

“I hit the 1:14 mark for the first time in my life and became the champion so I am very very happy. We both (Debora and Beatrice) won medals and shared the podium together as we anticipated before the race during lunchtime,” Beatrice shared in an interview with the Brazilian Paralympic Committee.

“I finished just after her with a very little difference. We both are very happy. We were anxious before the race but it all worked out well,” Debora added.

A fierce battle for the third spot ensues between Salinas Citli (MEX) and Justine Morrier (CAN). Justine narrowly misses the bronze by 0.02 microseconds, conceding the third position to Citli.

Gabriel Bandeira secured a remarkable double hat-trick, claiming Gold medals and breaking records at Santiago 2023. In the 100m Breaststroke, Bandeira set his third Parapan Am Games record with an impressive time of 1:07.42 sec, securing another well-deserved title.

Elian Araya (ARG) closely follows Bandeira, earning the second spot on the podium with a time of 1:12.26 sec. Oswald Yzarra from Venezuela clinches the bronze, edging out Trevor Lukacsko (USA) by a mere 0.59 microseconds.

The spotlight now shifts to Para-athletics events, with T20 Men’s 1500m and F20 Women’s Shot-put categories. The excitement at Santiago 2023 continues to build.

Full results can be accessed from Santiago 2023 website.

The 2023 Santiago Parapan American Games were declared open on 17th November in Estadio Nacional. Nearly 2,000 athletes from 31 participating countries proudly paraded with their flags during the Opening Ceremony at Estadio Nacional of Chile. The stands, filled with over 15,000 spectators, echoed with cheers and applause.

Addressing the crowd and athletes, Jaime Pizarro, the Minister of Sports and President of Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games said,

“Today is a historical milestone for Chile, there is a lot of excitement to have this version of the Games, in which the best of high performance will be shown”

Requesting the crowd, he further added,

“Support the Para athletes, because everyone who has played sports, regardless of whether it was professional or amateur, knows what it means to perform in a full venue. Let’s encourage them to reach their maximum potential”

The vibrant colors of national jackets, like light blue for Argentina and yellow for Brazil, created a captivating contrast. Embodying the Paralympic spirit, athletes formed a close-knit community, exchanging pins and sharing cultural moments as they awaited their moment to shine in the upcoming competitions until November 26.

Swimming

On day one of the swimming competitions, Brazilian women claimed a podium sweep in the 200m Freestyle, with Ana Soares (2:17.66), Beatriz Carneiro (2:21.16), and Debora Carneiro (2:22.46) securing the top three spots.

Paralympic Champion and Virtus Ambassador – Gabriel Bandeira set a new Parapan Am Games Record in his debut Parapan Games. He clocked 1:56.30, to clinch gold, defeating Colombia’s Garcia Juan (1:57.28). Macdonald Tyson (CAN) secured the bronze with a time of 2:01.61.

Table Tennis

In the Men’s singles (Class 11) Semifinals, SIMOES Thiago (BRA) clashed with ROSAS Armin (CHI) in Match 1. Simoes secured a 3-1 victory, leading in the first match (11-6). Despite a comeback from Rosas in the second match (6-11), Simoes dominated the next two matches (11-1, 11-7) with determination, earning his spot in the finals. In Match 2, MARTINEZ Denisos (VEN) defeated SUQUILLO Angelo (ECU) convincingly with a 3-0 win.

The ultimate showdown for the gold medal took place between SIMOES Thiago (BRA) and MARTINEZ Denisos (VEN). Despite a tough fight, Denisos couldn’t withstand Simoes’s aggressive play, and Simoes emerged victorious with a 3-0 triumph.

Full results can be accessed from Santiago 2023 website.

Virtus Sport welcomed new members to its family this weekend as the 2023 General Assembly ratified the membership of National Member Organisations in from Fiji, Kazakhstan, Maldives, Solomon Islands, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Guinea, Gabon, and Jamaica. The World Dodgeball Federation was also welcomed into the International Federation category.

It brings Virtus’ total membership to 101 organisations – more than at any time in our history.

Dina Temirgaliyeva, President of Virtus Kazakhstan – Sports Federation for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities expressed her excitement about joining Virtus:

“We are delighted to join the Virtus family. Our team has put in tremendous effort over the past year, and we are deeply grateful for this opportunity and the trust from the Virtus membership.”

She emphasized the significance of this membership for Kazakhstan and the athletes with intellectual impairments, as it opens up new prospects for elite competition-

“This membership is very promising and will open up new possibilities for our athletes to participate in the Virtus Global Games, Asian Para Games, and Paralympic Games. We have a long journey ahead and have already developed a comprehensive plan for the development of sports for individuals with intellectual impairments in Kazakhstan for the period 2023-2030.”

Virtus President Marc Truffaut welcomed the new members and highlighted Virtus’ commitment to increasing its global reach:

“Virtus has been focused on increasing membership and this time we have welcomed eight new members from Oceania, Asia, and the African region. We are thrilled to work with these new members and, with their support, will be nurturing new talents into elite sports for athletes with an intellectual impairment. We hope to see more nations competing in our next Asia Oceania Games in 2026 and at the Virtus Global Games 2027.”

Meanwhile the Assembly also ratified the appointment of new Board members with Yossi Romano (ISR) and Aaron Benjamin (IND) elected as Members at Large.