Five world records and 300 Parapan American records set in Santiago 2023

The Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games have been full of excitement, powerful stories and broken records.

Five world marks fell in Chile through 10 days of intense action in 17 different sports.

The first one came from Paralympic and world champion, Brazilian Elizabeth Rodrigues, in the F53 discus throw, in Para athletics. The impressive 58-year-old woman threw for 17,80 meters, surpassing her previous distance of 17,12 meters, achieved in the World Championships, in Paris, this same year.

“I am already preparing for Paris 2024 and this result shows that the work is being put. I am really happy, it felt like if this was my first competition and the first world record that I broke”, said the Brazilian, who got her third consecutive Parapan American gold medal in this event.

Gomes finished her participation in Santiago 2023 with two gold medals, after snatching another win in shot put F53/54/55 and one bronze, in javelin F54.

Next up was Cuban Robiel Yankiel, who also beat his own numbers in the long jump T47 event. He achieved a 7,74 meters distance, beating his own 7,71 meters, from this year too.

The third world record that got a new owner during Santiago 2023 was the men’s 400m in the T20 class. Brazilian Samuel Oliveira stopped the clock at 46.48 seconds, surpassing the previous record set by his compatriot Daniel Tavares, in 2019, with a time of 46.86 seconds.

"I am extremely happy with the result. We trained every day thinking that this could happen. It is a dream come true," said the 24-year-old athlete from São Paulo.

Also, Colombian José Gregorio Lemos beat his own world record in the men’s javelin throw in F37/38, with 61.76 meters. He had gotten the previous mark of 60.58, in 2022.

“The results in my first Parapan American Games are amazing. I came in great shape, so, beating my record is really satisfying”, said the Paralympic gold medallist from Tokyo 2020.

The last world record came this 25 November, via the efforts of Mexican Osiris Machado, also in the women’s discus throw, but in F64. She threw for 41.16 meters, destroying the previous standard of 39.26 m, imposed by Polish Faustyna Kotlowska, in 2022.

“I am really happy, it is a feeling of great satisfaction, because the whole year I tried to improve my mark but could not do it until today, in the end of my season. I still don’t believe it”, said Machado, who is only 19 years old.

The Para athletics disciplines were held in the Mario Recordón Athletic Center, at the Parque Estadio Nacional, in Santiago.

More records and more growth

Nevertheless, besides the five new world records, a whopping number of 300 Parapan American records were set in Santiago 2023, which is a direct sign of the great improvement and participation growth among the Para sports world in a period of just four years, since the Lima 2019 edition. Many marks were improved by big margins and also more events were held. 

Para athletics and Para swimming, as expected, concentrated most of the new records, with 109 each.  Meanwhile, Para powerlifting had 43, Para Archery 15, Para cycling 13, and Para shooting 11.

The Parapan American Games will have its last day competition on 26 November, with action in Para badminton and road Para cycling.

At the end of the tenth day of the Parapan American Games, Brazil remains safe on top of the medals table with 151 gold, 92 silver and 89 bronze, for a total of 332. The USA is next (52, 54, 50, for a total of 156), followed by Colombia (46, 56, 50, for 152).

Santiago 2023 brought together almost 2,000 athletes from 31 different nations to battle from 18 to 26 November. This is the seventh edition of the Games, which is the biggest competition for Para sport in the Americas.