Tuesday, October 31th, 2023.- Chile has embraced a new national hero. Santiago Ford, born in Cuba, claimed the decathlon title at the 2023 Pan American Games, delivering the host country its seventh gold medal in the competition, an achievement that no one had anticipated.
The representative of the host nation crossed the finish line of the 1,500 meters walking and raising his arms, already knowing he was the champion, as he kept his two main rivals, Brazilian José Fernando Ferreira, who finished second with 7,748, and American Ryan Talbot, third with 7,742, at bay.
Ford arrived in Chile five years ago in search of the athletic opportunities he felt were lacking in his native Cuba, despite his fourth-place finish at the 2016 Junior World Championships in Poland.
The local federation welcomed him and provided a platform for him to excel. However, he still needed to be naturalized, a process he only accomplished in November 2022, thanks to the efforts of Senator and former athlete Sebastián Keitel.
It was the culmination of a long wait for the decathlete, who simply wanted the chance to compete on a big stage. The new Chilean passport came just in time when he was starting to feel desperate and considering migrating to new horizons to achieve his goal.
During his years in Chile, Ford did not always receive the public recognition he earned on Tuesday night at Estadio Nacional.
Previously, he had to enter the country with only a handful of dollars in his pocket and had to walk through the desert, unaware that he was entering a minefield.
He worked as a security guard and an occasional model while awaiting his naturalization.
His ambition does not stop here. Before the Pan American Games, he stated his desire to reach the Olympic Games with the intention of being a contender.
"My goal is to be a finalist in Paris 2024, and once I'm there, anything can happen," he told Radio ADN a few months ago.
Now, he has the incentive and support that a gold medal provides, another achievement that Chile did not expect, similar to what discus thrower Lucas Nervi achieved on Monday night. The sky is the limit for Santiago Ford now.
Written by Felipe Hurtado H; translated by Rocio Rojas / Photosport
Photo by Heuler Andrey/Santiago 2023 / Photosport
