Monday, october 23nd, 2023.- In an extraordinary display that once again elevates Chilean water skiing to the world stage, Emile Ritter won the gold medal in the water skiing jump event at the Pan American Games Santiago 2023. He contributed the second gold medal for the host country.

The engineer and coach from the Miranda Academy, right at Laguna Los Morros in San Bernardo, was a doubly local favorite among hundreds of fans. He secured the crown with a jump distance of 64.7 meters in the second attempt, which his closest competitors, Canadian Dorien Llewellyn (64.5 meters) and Argentinian Tobías Giorgis (63.3 meters), couldn't match.

"Milo" Ritter, 32 years old, reaffirmed his excellent individual moment and took revenge for his fourth-place finish at the Pan American Games in Lima four years ago. Additionally, he came in second place at the specific Pan American Championship at Los Morros and the South American Games in Asunción, both in 2022.

With his gold medal, Ritter has propelled Chile ahead of Venezuela to seventh place in the partial medal tally, with a total of two golds, six silvers, and three bronzes. Furthermore, water skiing is the second sport contributing the most medals for the host, after rowing.


Written by Nicolás Olea; translated by Rocio Rojas; edited by Pia Barriga / Photosport
Photo by Javier Valdes Larrondo / Santiago 2023 vía Photosports