Team members Erika Inuma, Milagros Cotrina, Jenniffer Mamani, Nicole Pérez, Nicole Pelayo and Diana Flores, under the technical direction of Luis Cabanillas, hope to receive the support of the best fans in the world.  

This Para sport, which is one of the greatest shows of Lima 2019, is designed for people with visual impairment. Each team has three members and they all wear eyeshades that block out their vision completely. 

It is important to note that goalball has been contested at the Parapan American Games since 2011. The ball used weights 1.25 kg and has bells inside that make noise to guide the Para athletes. 

TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE 

Fans can still purchase tickets for goalball, boccia, Para taekwondo, sitting volleyball, wheelchair rugby, para cycling track and wheelchair tennis. 

They are available through the website (www.lima2019.pe) or the several authorized points of sale. 

The Parapan American Games will end on September 1. A total of 1890 athletes from 33 countries of the continent will participate in 17 sports and 18 disciplines during this event.

One of the most remembered love gestures while representing Peru in sports happened on February 29, 2000. The famous midfielder of the Peruvian football team, Roberto “Chorri” Palacios, showed a T-shirt with “I love Peru” written on it, after scoring a goal against Paraguay.

Nineteen years later, the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games allowed us again to watch a similar love gesture for Peru.  It happened on the men’s sitting volleyball match between Peru and Canada, where the Peruvian team lost 3 sets to 0.

The Peruvian sitting volleyball team fought the whole third set (25-16), and the result is anecdotal. The really important thing is that there was constant connection between the Peruvian team and fans on the stands.

This magic connection inspired the sitting volleyball teammate, Miguel Fernández, to run across the court after the game, carrying the Peruvian flag to thank the fans and to show his commitment with our country’s team.

In the first women's match of one of Peru's most representative sports, the team dominated the scoreboard from the beginning. Peru's former volleyball glory seemed to come back to life, thanks to the cheering of the fans who chanted: “I’m Peruvian and tonight we gotta win. ”

The match was held at the spectacular newly-built Callao Sports Center. The final 3-1 score was cheered by the Peruvian fans who packed the grandstands, carrying pennants which read “We’ll all play for Peru”, a paraphrase of Lima 2019 official slogan: “Let’s all play”.

The excitement was justified: it is worth remembering that the last time that the women’s team reached the podium was in 1991, when they got a bronze medal. In total, Peruvian volleyball has earned five silver medals and three bronze medals.

However, it was clear that Peru was going to win the match from the beginning, only facing difficulties in the third set, which the Canadian team won. This resulted in a tense fourth set, where Peru finally saw the match through. 

Revenge in our Court

The victory reached by the team led by Spanish coach Francisco Hervás and consisting of Vanessa Palacios, Ángela Leyva, Clarivet Yllescas, Zoila La Rosa, Maguilaura Frías, Angélica Aquino, Daniela Uribe, Karla Ortiz (captain), Thaisa McLeod, Diana de la Peña, Maricarmen Guerrero y Miryec Muñoz, began the team's way to gold in the best possible way.

Besides, the Lima 2019 match fixture gave the Peruvian team the perfect chance to redeem itself from its Pan American past: in the 2015 Pan American Games held in Toronto (Canada), it placed seventh from eight teams. Today, luck has a new face.

Next Step

The top two teams of Group A, made up of Peru, Dominican Republic, Colombia and Canada, will advance to the semifinals and face off the top two teams of Group B, made up of Argentina, Brazil, United States and Puerto Rico. 

Peru will face Colombia today at 20:30.

Photo Gallery (click here)

To reach the top of the Pan American Games sometimes you must challenge yourself. This was mostly true in swimming, where the high expectation caused by the competition level of the American and Canadian teams made Brazilians to surpass themselves and fight for a place in the medal table.

It is the case of the Brazilian athlete Leonardo de Deus, three-time Pan American champion in the 200 m butterfly event. He randomly entered the final list in the continental multi-sport event, as the suspension of Gabriel Silva for doping gave him the chance to make history with his team.

Léo de Deus is proud of his military origin as sergeant of the Army of his country. This explains the martial salute he made to his flag at the award ceremony, as did by his teammate Joao Gomes, who competed for hist first Pan American Games, at the age of 33, and conquered the 100 m breaststroke.

Another elite member is Pedro Henrique Spajari, who destroyed the Pan American record with his team in the 4x100 m freestyle relay and defeated the American team lead by Nathan Adrian, multiple times Olympic and world medalist. Spajari overcame a rare syndrome that affected his motor functions when he was 20. As a sergeant of the Brazilian air force, he sang with honor the anthem of his country, from the top of the podium.

“Winning my first gold medal in this kind of competition is really special. We prepared a lot to win this qualification to the Olympic Games, in my case, by overcoming personal problems. In addition, I am proud of representing the Armed Forces of my country because it helped me a lot in my life,” he said.

The first day of swimming was important for Peru too, for the new Peruvian records set by Paula Tamashiro (100 m breaststroke, set in 2008) and Samantha Bello (400 m freestyle). In addition, fans enjoyed Silvana Cabrera´s victory in the 200 m butterfly B final.

Once again, the Pan American Games staged incredible stories of overcoming challenges, stories are a living life lessons for spectators witnessing the achievements of these athletes.

Spectacular jumps and obstacles in the water and ring were performed at the equestrian sports venue in La Molina, where many families gathered to see the best athlete/horse combinations in the continent in the eventing individual (cross-country) and team competitions.

This venue had moments of excitement and tension when the Colombian rider Mauricio Bermúdez fell into the “Titicaca Lake” water obstacle in the cross-country ring.

The Peruvian combination delivered an excellent performance in the ring, and three of four riders qualified. They are Diego Farje with Qouter; Marcelino Cárdenas with Vento, and Juan José Luis Francia with Alpacino Z.

In the team event, the Peruvian representatives also qualified together with the United States, Brazil, Canada, Argentina, and Mexico. The international competition continues tomorrow starting at 10:00 with the eventing individual (jump finals) and team (jumping qualifier) competitions, where medalists will be determined.

The Army Equestrian School has an eventing circuit (cross-country), with 4600 m of new grass.

Besides, the main stage for jumping and dressage: three tracks for competition, warm-up and training, made of silica sand, with a total of 19,500 m2, built according to the standards and requirements of the International Equestrian Federation.

To get more information about the competition schedule and results, you can visit the website: https://www.lima2019.pe/resultados.

Photo gallery (click here)