Author: Lima 2019 press release Lima, 16 September 2019

LIMA 2019 ATHLETES ALSO STOOD OUT AT SCHOOL SPORTS GAMES

Eleven Team Peru members who participated in the Pan American Games had shown their skills at previous School Games.

Once integrantes del Team Perú que participaron en los Juegos Panamericanos mostraron sus habilidades en anteriores Juegos Escolares.

The National School Sports Games have always been a great opportunity to discover potential sporting talent for Peru. School is the ideal place to instill values in our children, teenagers and young people that will allow them to be better members of Peruvian society. 

Reflecting the motto “Everything starts here”, 11 athletes who represented Peru at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games originally competed in the School Games, a first experience in the sports that they are now best known for. In fact, they stood out in many of the 15 disciplines that are part of the multi-sports event starting on September 16. 

Take, for example, race walker Kimberly García, Lima 2019 silver medal and qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Back in 2008, she won the gold in the race walk event at the national stage of the School Games and since them, she trained to stand out in its discipline. “I want to tell the children to enjoy the competition. Whether they win or lose, [they should] always compete with great spirit,” she said. 

Likewise, swimmer Paula Tamashiro twice beat the national 100m breaststroke record at Lima 2019, a record which had stood for 11 years. She participated in this school event in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Now it is over to the students to compete in the VIDENA Aquatic Center and beat their own times. 

Talents in women's handball also emerged at the School Games, to be eventually called up for the senior Peruvian team. This is the case of top scorer Ariana Cruz, Angie Vásquez, Camila Delgado and María Miranda, who were part of the team who represented Peru at the last Pan American Games. 

Other elite Pan American athletes in this group are Clarivet Yllescas and Ángela Leyva (volleyball); Noemí Huayhuameza (judo); Alexia Sotomayor, who is participating in this School Games edition; and karateka John Trebejo, who originally competed in athletics. 

The dreams of the athletes of the future start on Monday, September 16. Join them by showing your support from the stands. Admission is free.