Herbert Aceituno: “The gold medal at Lima 2019 was my biggest achievement”
Salvadoran powerlifter recalls memorable performance at 2019 Parapan American Games 28 Nov 2019I remember when the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games Lima 2019 were just a few days away and I was already very excited. I felt confident because I had trained very well with my coach and had full confidence in God that everything would go well.
I had a clear objective in mind: to reach the podium. I was sure it was possible. Any medal would be welcome.
My first lift, however, was null. Far from becoming demotivated, I remained calm. After that first round, Jorge Carinao from Chile was leading with 176kg. In other words, I had to break the Parapan American record to win!
Just before my second lift, when I was standing in front of the bar, many images came to my mind: of the hours of sacrifice and hard training, and of all my country that I had to represent with dignity. I was not alone; more than six million Salvadorans were raising that bar with me. That gave me the momentum I needed.
That's when I lifted 180kg, a new Games record and went on to take first place. With that mark I would have won already, but I lifted 2kg more in my last attempt. Thousands of images crossed my mind. I was filled with happiness.
My triumph was a demonstration that you can achieve your goals if you set out to do so; there is no barrier that cannot be overcome. That's what that gold medal meant to me. We brought back a Parapan American title to El Salvador after 20 years and broke a record.
The celebrations back in my country were extraordinary. The mass media was waiting for my return. I had a very special family dinner and also celebrated with my coach, my teammates and the National Paralympic Committee.
The support of so many people I had never met moved me; it was very nice. The gold medal at Lima 2019 is undoubtedly my greatest sporting achievement.
To crown it, I was chosen Best Male Athlete of Lima 2019 by the Americas Paralympic Committee (APC); a beautiful recognition for the entire El Salvador. Because, as I said before, it's not Herbert Aceituno alone, it's El Salvador as a whole that won.
Sport is about renewing yourself constantly. The happiness for this victory will last forever, but there are new competitions, new goals. I imagine myself competing at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. My ultimate dream is to win a medal there or at Paris 2024. I want to be an important part of the history of Para sports.