Friday, November 3rd, 2023.- Chile experienced an unforgettable Friday in female's freestyle wrestling at Santiago 2023, securing their first-ever medal in the sport's history, thanks to the remarkable performance of Antonia Valdés in the 53-kilogram category.

Hailing from Curicó, Valdés triumphed 4-2 in the bronze medal match against Peru's Thalia Mallqui, earning her the first Chilean medal in the discipline at these Pan American Games.

Overjoyed by her victory, the Chilean athlete shared her emotions after the bout. "I was in shock; I felt like we did it. You can't imagine the effort I put in to get here. People might think it's easy because there are three matches, but they are individuals who managed to qualify, with world cups and participation in the Olympics. It's very challenging because wrestling in Chile is relatively low-key. So achieving this with the few resources we have is a blessing," she said.

"It's been several years of work, a long time with both ups and downs. This is what makes me happy. This is why I entered the sport. I want to keep learning and improving. I'm truly happy with this bronze because it was all worth it," she added.

Looking ahead to the future, Valdés pointed out, "Gold is still ahead, and I want to work for it. I'm happy, but it's not the ultimate goal. I also want to win medals at the world championships. There's a lot of work ahead in my career."

With this medal, Chile's overall medal count at Santiago 2023 reached 48, placing them in seventh position with eight golds, 21 silvers, and 19 bronzes.

Written by Patricio Echagüe y Rodrigo Vargas; translated by Felipe Vergara / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport
Photo by Nicolás Ábalo / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport