Thursday, November 16th, 2023.- With the group matches of para table tennis, the competitions at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games began this Thursday. And although the initial phase ends on Friday (before the opening ceremony), the first day highlighted Brazil's supremacy and Chile's good performance.

The tournament is held with athletes grouped into 11 classes according to the impact of their disability on their performance: wheelchair (1 to 5), standing (6 to 10), and learning disability (11).

In most of these classes, Brazilian representatives ended up leading their respective groups, both in female's and male's categories.

In the male's category, Guilherme Marciao (class 2), David Andrade (3), Lucas Carvalhal (5), Israel Pereira, and Paulo Salmin (7), Luiz Guarnieri (8), Lucas dos Santos (9), Claudio Massad, Gabriel de Oliveira (10), and Thiago Simoes (11) are in the top positions.

In female's, some classes were combined (1 to 3, 4-5, 6-7, and 9-10), resulting in fewer competitors, but Brazilian dominance remains, with six of their athletes in the top positions.

Regarding Chileans, in the male's category, Cristián González and Maximiliano Rodríguez (class 4), Ignacio Torres (6), and Manuel Echaveguren (10) finished first in their groups; while in the female's category, Tamara Leonelli (class 4-5) and Florencia Pérez (8) did the same.

This Friday, the group stage will conclude, and quarter-finals will be played in classes with more groups. After this, the competitors for the semifinals will be determined.

Written by Arturo Hernández / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport
Photo by Javier Salvo / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport