Lima 2019: Sara Vargas named Best Female Athlete

Colombian Sara Vargas has been chosen as Americas' Best Female Athlete of August based on her fantastic performance at the Parapan American Games.

The 12-year-old swimmer and youngest athlete at Lima 2019 was a huge sensation in the pool after winning four golds and one silver.

“The truth is I don’t think about the age, only about how much I’ve practised to be here. It’s never too early or too late to dream big,” one of Lima 2019’s biggest stars said.

Vargas received 43.51 per cent of the public vote in a close contest with Chilean table tennis player Tamara Leonelli, who ended second with 42.71 per cent.

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Leonelli claimed the honours of being the first gold medallist of Lima 2019 after taking the title in the women’s class 5.

Mexican powerlifting legend Amalia Perez (5.49 per cent) finished in third.

Brazilian goalball player Ana Custodio, Peruvian taekwondo fighter Angelica Espinoza, Argentinian swimmer Daniela Gimenez, and track and field athletes Jessica Lewis of Bermuda, Lisbeli Vera of Venezuela, Omara Durand of Cuba and Poleth Mendes of Ecuador were also shortlisted.

The nominations were compiled from submissions by National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) from across the continent.

The 2019 Americas Athlete of the Month winners are:

• January – Johanna Sossa and Johana Martinez, Colombia, wheelchair tennis

• February – Rebeca Valenzuela Alvarez, Mexico, athletics

• March – Matias Pino, Chile, table tennis

• April – Daniel Martins, Brazil, athletics

• May – Sherman Guity, Costa Rica, athletics

• June – Luis Flores, Chile, table tennis

• July – Juan Carlos Garrido, Chile, powerlifting

• August (Lima 2019 Best Female Athlete) – Sara Vargas, Colombia, swimming