Santiago 2023 Review: Robiel Sol and Paris champions break world records in Chile

Para athletics was responsible for the five world records set at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games, as the event wrapped up on Sunday (26 November) in the Chilean capital.

Brazil topped the medals tally at the Centro Atletico Mario Recordon after five days of Para athletics action. Brazilian athletes visited the podium 83 times with 34 gold medals. 

Colombia finished second (18 golds) followed by USA (16). Mexico (12 gold medals), Argentina (nine), Ecuador (seven), Cuba (seven), Venezuela (five), Costa Rica (two), Canada (one), Chile (one), Bermuda (one) and Trinidad & Tobago (one) were the other nations to top the podium in Santiago.

Karen Palomeque was the most successful Para athletics athlete in the Games picking five gold medals for Colombia. 

Brazil also led the world records ranking with two out of the five new world marks established at this year’s Parapan Am Games.
Elizabeth Gomes set the tone right on day one at the venue located in the National Stadium complex. The Paralympic and world champion broke her own record in the women’s discus F53, set at the Paris 23 World Championships in July (17.12m).

First Gomes threw 17.26m in her fourth attempt, and then she improved it to 17.80m in the fifth throw. 

“It is an amazing feeling. I was dreaming of breaking the world record again and I managed it. This result is really important for me, and also for Brazil and for our sport,” said the Brazilian, who also took gold in the women’s shot put F53/54/55 at Santiago 2023.

For grandma

Thursday (23 November), day three of Para athletics saw another world record from a reigning Paralympic and world champion. Cuba’s Robiel Sol improved in three centimetres his own mark in the men’s long jump T47 (7.74m). 

"I feel very happy since it was the only title missing for me. I'm only 20 years old, but this was the title I was missing,” said the Cuban, who achieved the record in his fifth jump. 

“This is for my grandmother, who asked for it so much, and for my family, the people of Cuba, and all my followers. Now comes the World Championships in Kobe, and then the Paralympic Games. Expect the best from Yankel; he's going to give it his all."

Friday felt especially good for Brazilian sprinter Samuel Oliveira and Colombian thrower Jose Gregorio Lemos. 

The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic champion and Paris 23 world champion in the men’s javelin F38, Lemos claimed another gold in the event in Santiago. 

He threw 61.76m in his first attempt, more than one metre beyond his previous mark (60.58) set at the Dubai 2022 World Para Athletics Grand Prix in UAE in March last year. 

“This victory was very satisfying considering it's my first Parapan American Games," Lemos said.

"I had a good performance at the Tokyo Paralympics. This year, I participated in the World Championships at Paris, where I became champion with a world record in shot put," he recalled, reviewing his achievements leading up to Santiago 2023. “To arrive at the Parapan American Games in such optimal conditions and break my own world record is very gratifying.”

Also a world champion from Paris 23, Samuel Oliveira won the men’s 400m T20 in great fashion smashing a four-year-old record from his compatriot Daniel Tavares (46.48).

"I am happy with the result. We train all day for this to happen. It is a dream come true," said the 24-year-old.

Hat-trick for Ferreira

The fifth and final world record of the Parapan Am Games came on Saturday (25 November) with Mexico’s Osiris Machado. The 19-year-old made her World Championships debut this year in Paris finishing in fifth place in the women’s discus F64. 

In Santiago, she not only claimed her first major international gold as she also set a new mark for the F44 class (41.16) improving in almost two metres the previous record from Poland’s Faustyna Klotowska. 

Santiago 2023 also saw 26 Americas records established, 15 of them in women’s events and 11 in men’s events. 

Among the new record holders was Brazil’s two-time Paralympic champion and three-time world champion Petrucio Ferreira in the men’s 100m T47.

It was also his third-consecutive victory in the race as he was defending his Toronto 2015 and Lima 2019 Parapan Am gold medal. Ferreira clocked 10.39 in the semi-final in Santiago. 

“It was here in Chile where I made my international debut in the youth team back in 2014. So it is really special to win here and I am happy to win gold for the third time,” Ferreira said.

A total of 111 new Parapan American records (58 in men’s events and 53 in women’s events) in Para athletics were set at this year’s Parapan Am Games.

Palomeque and Orrego shine

Santiago 2023 marked Karen Palomeque's first participation in the Parapan American Games just four months after her outstanding performances at the World Championships. And what a debut!

The Colombian added five Parapan Am gold medals to her three world titles from Paris. She won the women's 100m T37, 200m T37, 400m T38, long jump T36/37/38 and the universal 4x100m relay alongside Angie Pabon, Joan Lasso and Sairo Fernandez

"I'm emotional, proud and really happy for my five medals. My preparations for Santiago went really well, my coaches were together with me and I felt really comfortable at the Parapan Am Games," she said. 

Mauricio Orrego gave hosts Chile their only gold medal in Para athletics at the home Games. Orrego defended his Parapan American title in the men's 1500m T46 with the support of the crowd at the Mario Recordon stadium.

"When I came to the track I felt like a giant, I knew I could achieve something big," said the 23-year-old said, who is already aiming at the World Championships in Kobe, Japan and at achieving a qualification mark to the Paralympic Games in Paris next year.

"There is not much time to rest. We are planning to be at some Grand Prix to prepare the best possible way to the Worlds. If I achieve a good mark it will bring me closer to the Games in Paris."

Complete results, all medallists and records set in Para athletics at Santiago 2023 can be found here.