Sunday, October 22nd.- The third day of competition at the 2023 Pan American Games was favorable for Team Chile, as the host country secured its first gold medal, along with a silver and two bronze medals on Sunday. 

The day began with the silver medal achieved by Hugo Catrileo in the Marathon, where the 26-year-old athlete secured the second position in the 42.195-kilometer race with a time of 2:12:07. 

But the highlight of the day came after noon when Chilean shooter Francisca Crovetto secured the gold medal in the skeet shooting competition, defeating Mexican Gabriela Rodríguez in a dramatic tiebreaker. This victory marked Chile's first gold medal in the tournament. 

Both athletes ended the competition tied with 50 hits, and it was in the tiebreaker that the local athlete prevailed with a score of 4-3. Meanwhile, the bronze medal went to the Peruvian Daniella Borda. 

This is Crovetto's fourth Pan American Games medal but her first gold. She previously won silver in Guadalajara 2011 and Lima 2019 and bronze in Toronto 2015. 

Then came the bronze medal won by the Chilean Aranza Villalón in cycling. In the afternoon, 
Team Chile added another bronze medal in the taekwondo discipline, where Claudia Gallardo in the -67 kg category defeated the Canadian Ashley Kraayeveld 2-0. 

The cousins Marco and Esteban Grimalt achieved their second victory in beach volleyball by defeating the Paraguayan pair of Giuliano Massares and Gonzalo Melgarejo with scores of 21-18 and 21-13 in a match of Group A. 

In another match of the beach volleyball competition, the Chilean duo of María Francisca Rivas and Chris Vorpahl secured a victory by defeating the Ecuadorian pair of Karelys Simisterra and Ariana Vilela with scores of 21-17, 16-21, and 18-16, marking their second win in Group A. 

There was a significant surprise in badminton, as the Chilean mixed doubles team, composed of Alonso Medel and Vania Díaz, qualified for the quarter-finals. 

The local pair achieved a clear victory against the Trinidad and Tobago duo composed of Chequeda de Boulet and Marc Marcano, defeating them with scores of 21-15 and 21-18 in a 31-minute match. 

Meanwhile, in a tight and thrilling match, the Chilean 3x3 basketball team defeated Argentina 22-17 in a game in Group C of the Pan American Games Santiago 2023. While the women's team beat Brazil 18-14. Both teams advancing to the semifinals. 

This Sunday also marked the debut of the Chilean women's football team, which secured a narrow 1-0 victory against their counterparts from Paraguay in a match belonging to Group A. The game took place at the Estadio Elías Figueroa in Valparaíso. 

The Chilean women's national team, in a hard-fought match, secured a victory with a goal by Daniela Zamora (24'), who, with a precise header, earned the team three points. The team is under the technical direction of Luis Mena. 

The final competition featuring Chileans was the women's volleyball. In an electrifying match and showcasing solid play, the local team defeated Colombia with scores of 29-27, 25-23, and 25-7. 

Written by Pedro Marín; translated by Rocio Rojas / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport
Ph: Jorge Loyola / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport