Thursday, october 26nd, 2023.- Surfing at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games continues to unfold at the Punta de Lobos beach in Pichilemu, with the female and male's shortboard competitions, as they aim to narrow down the field in pursuit of medals.

One of the big winners on this Thursday was Chile's Estela López, who emerged victorious in round 2 against Barbadian Chelsea Tuach. The local athlete scored 6.50 and 4.40 on her first and second waves, respectively, for a total of 10.90, securing her spot in the next stage.

"I am very happy after passing the first two heats. I could hear the crowd cheering for me. I'm trying to do my best to represent Chile at the highest level. I want everything to go incredibly well for me," López declared.

On the male's side, Mexican surfer Alan Cleland, one of the favorites for a medal, had a standout victory, defeating Panamanian Jean Carlos González with a score of 16.00 against 4.80 after two very good waves.

"I feel content being able to showcase my surfing, and now I have all my hopes set high for the next stage. It has been an honor for me to be here in Pichilemu. It has been an incredible journey, and I hope to leave with a medal from these Pan American Games," Cleland remarked.

It's worth noting that these Santiago 2023 Pan American Games will award direct spots for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Written by Patricio Echagüe and Valentina Ramírez; translated by Vicente Valdivia / Photosport.
Photo by Heuler Andrey Santiago 2023 / Photosport