In the context of the collaboration between the Santiago 2023 Corporation and the Andrés Bello University, one of the many educational institutions linked to the organizing committee of the Pan American and Parapan American Games, the round table called “Caminos al éxito” (Roads to success) took place with the coaches Pablo Lemoine of the rugby team known as Los Cóndores, and Sergio “Cachito” Vigil of the field hockey team known as Las Diablas.
The activity took place at campus Casona de Las Condes and was dedicated to the late Claudia Schüler, former goalkeeper of the Chilean team. It was presented by the Dean of the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences María Gabriela Huidobro, the Director of the Institute of Sports and Wellbeing Jaime Fillol, and the Chief Commercial, Marketing, and Communications Officer of Santiago 2023, Juan Carlos Chamy. To moderate the conversation was Fernando González, triple Olympic medallist and deputy director of the institution.
From left to right: Juan Carlos Chamy, Fernando González, Pablo Lemoine, Sergio Vigil, María Gabriela Huidobro and Jaime Fillol. (Picture from: Santiago 2023).
“We hope that sports start reaching the masses, especially now, in the sense that things become better day after day and the process is enjoyable. Not necessarily that one person goes all in at one discipline or to sports in general, but to understand it as part of a culture that can make us a better and healthier society,” said the Dean María Gabriela Huidobro while also kicking off the academic year in the university.
Meanwhile, the former tennis player and current professor in the university Jaime Fillol, added that “this is a great opportunity to show the work we’ve done at the institute during this year. And also, in favor of the deal we have with Santiago 2023, we’ve been able to count on the presence of the coaches that make this activity better, aside from a great athlete like Fernando González. We’ve managed to cover all the topics we’d agreed on with the Corporation since the beginning.”
The Chief Commercial, Marketing, and Communications Officer of the Santiago 2023 Corporation values the activity by UNAB. “For us as a Corporation, it’s important to be part of these types of events and share with the students of an educational institution that’s also important for sports. The stories of Pablo and “Cachito” reach students deeply and allow for promoting what’s coming for the Games,” said.
The students were able to take pictures with Fiu, the official mascot of Santiago 2023. (Picture from: Santiago 2023).
LEMOINE AND VIGIL: “WE HAVE TO GENERATE AN OLYMPIC ADN”
The exponents of this event talked about the keys of their success and interacted with the students in attendance in the “Presidente José María Aznar” auditorium. They both agree on the fact that aside from sport results, what has the most relevance is long-term processes that seek to increase the reach of sports with values and content.
“The only essential success is the one that after being achieved helps to improve and transform the spaces we live in. My dream is to generate an Olympic ADN and for that spirit to live in each club or part of the country. One thing is becoming a champion, but it’s a whole different thing to discover champions,” said the Argentinian Sergio Vigil, who is responsible for the first female Chilean field hockey classification for an adult world cup and the gold medal at the last South American Games.
The Uruguayan Pablo Lemoine, coach of the male rugby team, reflected on what it’ll mean to host the biggest multisport event of the continent. “For Chilean sport having the Games at home is spectacular, because of what it’ll mean for the country and the athletes, because of the challenge of playing at home. It’s a festival that only happens every now and then, and they mark the sport ADN of a country. I hope this is a turning point that strengthens the sport programs on a national scale,” he said.
The Pan American Games will be held from October 20th to November 5th this year, and then, from November 17th to 26th it’ll be time for the Parapan American Games. Rugby 7 will be hosted by Estadio Municipal de la Pintana, while hockey will be held by the new Parque Estadio Nacional, a specific sport center for this discipline.
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