Paralympic champions of Para athletics are proving why they already touched the gold

Para athletics events started on 21 November in Santiago 2023, with big names of the sport showing early on their talents in the Parque Estadio Nacional 21 Nov 2023

and her guide Yuniol Kindelán cross the line after winning the 200m T12 event in Santiago 2023.

ⒸMarcelo Hernandez/Santiago 2023 via Photosport

By IPC

The action in Para athletics started this 21 November in the Santigo 2023 Parapan American Games with the big names doing exactly what they ought to do: Deliver gold medals with global worthy performances.

Omara Durand, one of the superstars of the Paralympic world, won the 200m T12 final, as it was overwhelmingly expected.

“Obviously the gold medal was my objective (…). I am very happy and I wish to dedicate this to all people that follows my career, to Cuba, to all the paralympic world and all the people that loves me”, said Durand, who is basically unbeatable in her class.

The Cuban speedster stopped the clock in 23.63 to secure the gold, two exact seconds before the silver medallist Alejandra Pérez, from Venezuela. This win led her to a third consecutive Parapan American gold medal in this event (and fourth in total).

omara durand cuba — This is the 12th Parapan American gold medal that the Cuban legend wins in the continental competition. @Marcelo Hernández / Santiago 2023 via Photosport

“Every medal that I have won, I have enjoyed it. This is one more, the 12th one in Parapan American Games”, she added. Durand also races in 100m and 400m, events that she has dominated since 2007, when she was 16 years old.

She broke the 200m Parapan American record in the qualifying round, with 23:59, but did not get close to her own world record of 23:02. However, there are almost 10 months before Paris 2024, where she should reach her performance peak.

Durand has eight Paralympic gold medals (two of them in 200m in 2016 and 2020) and 14 World Championships gold medals (five in 200m in 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2023).

She is supposed to race in the finals of the 100m T12 on 23 November and the 400m T12 on 25 November.

As a visual impaired Para athlete, she runs with her guide Yuniol Kindelán.

World record falls

elizabeth rodrigues brazil — Elizabeth Rodrigues broke her own world record in the women's discus throw F53. @Javier Salvo / Santiago 2023 via Photosport

The other headline of the day in the Estadio Nacional was the world record that Brazilian Elizabeth Rodrigues broke on Women’s Discus Throw F53.

The Paralympic champion from Tokyo 2020 threw for 17.80, beating her own distance of 17.62. This is the first Parapan American gold medal for the impressive 58-year-old.

“I am extremely happy with this world record. It means that the work that we are doing is great. I am already preparing for Paris 2024, but this result in the Parapan American Games makes me feel like if I were in my first competition”, said Rodrigues after the event.

Another Brazilian Paralympic champion, Yeltsin Jacques Ortega, complied to the expectations and won the gold in the 5,000m T11, but he also obliterated the competition record by more than 26 seconds. He finished in 15:13.10.

yeltsin jacques ortega brazil — Yeltsin Jacques Ortega and his guide Edelson De Avila, both from Brazil, recover their breath after winning the 5,000m T11 final. @Marcelo Hernández / Santiago 2023 via Photosport

Ecuadorian hero, Poleth Isamar Mendes, Paralympic gold medallist from Tokyo 2020 in women’s shot put F20, won her event and broke her own Parapan American record, leaving the mark in 13.91 meters. She also owns the world record, but that is still safe at 14.39.

Méndes also won the gold in Lima 2019 Parapan American Games.

Other renowned names from the Paralympic world who competed during the opening of Para athletics in Santiago 2023 were Brazilians Jerusa Geber and Thalita Simplicio.

They gave an exciting 200m T11 race among countrywomen and rivals. Geber, world champion, Parapan American champion but bronze medallist in Tokyo 2020, defeated Simplicio, silver medallist in the last Paralympics.

“I am very happy with this new achievement in my fourth Parapan American Games. But I also expect to win the 100m, which is my main event”, said the 41-year-old runner.

One big surprise of the day was how Ryan Medrano, from the USA, beat Paralympic champion José Rodolfo Chessani, from Mexico, in the 400m T38.

Ryan Medrano (USA) Jose Chessani (Mexico) — Ryan Medrano gave one of the surprises of the day, beating Paralympic champion José Rodolfo Chessani, in the 400m T38 event. @Marcelo Hernández / Santiago 2023 via Photosport

In the upcoming days, more Tokyo 2020 winners will be competing. Among them, Nick Mayhugh (USA), Petrúcio Ferreira (Brazil), Sheman Güity (Costa Rica) and Lisbeli Andrade (Venezuela), just to name a few.

At the end of the fifth day of the Parapan American Games, Brazil is still on top of the medals table with 67 gold, 45 silver and 43 bronze, for a total of 155. The USA is next (20, 17, 24, for a total of 61), followed by Colombia (17, 24, 22, for 63).

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.