Thursday, November 16th, 2023.- With much hope, the 166 representatives of Chile are facing "their Parapan American Games" as locals.

Among them, attention must be paid to a handful who emerge as figures with the possibility of adding joy, aiming for a dozen gold medals, the same number that the so-called "Team Chile" won in Lima 2019.

Francisca Mardones, who claimed silver four years ago in Peru, is clearly one of these figures as she holds the world record in shot put.

She first achieved this in 2019 at the Dubai World Para Athletics Championships, with an 8.19-meter throw in the F54 class. Later, she broke that record twice at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games (held in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic), achieving throws of 8.21 meters and 8.33 meters.

Swimmer Alberto Abarza secured a gold medal in three disciplines, along with two silver medals, at the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games, becoming the first Chilean to claim five podium places in that kind of event.

In the last Paralympic Games, he earned three medals in the S2 category: a gold in 100-meter backstroke and two silvers in 200-meter freestyle and 50-meter backstroke.

Also standing out among the locals is weightlifter Juan Carlos Garrido, gold medalist at Toronto 2015 and Lima 2019. If he repeats this achievement as a host this time, he will be the first Chilean exponent—both conventional and para-athlete—to secure three first-place finishes in Pan American competitions.

Jorge Carinao, also in weightlifting, is another local athlete worth paying attention to. His background includes a sixth place at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Paralympic Games and a gold medal at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games.

Written by Marcelo González; translated by Vicente Valdivia / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport
Photo by Jonnathan Oyarzún / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport