SP2017: First medals up for grabs

After a colourful Brazilian-style Opening Ceremony, athletes will now fully take over centre stage at the 2017 Youth Parapan American Games in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The first medals from Sao Paulo 2017 will be awarded in swimming, with competition kicking off on Tuesday (21 March) at 10 am BRT. The champion of the men’s 100m freestyle S6 will also boast the first ever gold medal of the 2017 Youth Parapan Ams. The sport will be divided into men’s and women’s junior and senior categories, with swimmers between 12 to 18 years old from 14 countries competing. A total of 23 swimming champions will be crowned.

Track and field athletes will also be hoping to top the podium in one of the 54 athletics events on the sport’s first day of competition. Athletics is the biggest sport in the programme, with up to 205 14 to 19-year-old athletes from around 15 countries competing.

Powerlifting competition will start on Tuesday, with two men’s and two women’s events being contested.

After defeating Colombia 2-1 on Monday, Brazil will be back on the football 7-a-side field to face Chile in Group A. Following that game, Argentina will play against Panama in Group B.

All other sports, except judo, will begin their respective competitions. That includes the highly anticipated football 5-a-side rivalry between Brazil and Argentina. Mexico will also make their debut against Colombia.

Another attractive event will be the women’s table tennis S9, with Brazilian Rio 2016 table tennis bronze medallist Danielle Rauen hoping to shine again in front of her home crowd.

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The 12 sports at Sao Paulo 2017 are athletics, boccia, football 5, football 7, goalball, judo, powerlifting, sitting volleyball, swimming, table tennis, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis.

The 2017 Youth Parapan American Games will run until 25 March and feature a record over 800 athletes from 19 countries.

The last edition at Buenos Aires 2013 attracted more than 600 athletes from 16 countries, who competed across 10 sports. Brazil topped the medal table and 15 countries reached the podium at least once.

Barquisimeto, Venezuela, staged the inaugural edition in 2005, with athletes from 10 countries competing, whilst a total of 14 countries attended the event in Bogota, Colombia, in 2009.

For more information, visit Sao Paulo 2017’s website.