Tuesday, November 21st, 2023.- The 400 meters male's and female's events in the T38 and T47 categories were a day of excitement at the Centro Atlético Mario Recordó, the venue for para-athletics at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games.

Ryan Medrano of the United States took home the gold medal in the first event, which groups athletes who have clear evidence of hypertonia, ataxia, and/or athetosis in the physical assessment that will affect them when running.

The para-athlete achieved a time of 51.14 seconds, while the silver went to Mexico's José Chessani with 51.66 seconds, and the bronze went to Dixon Hooker of Colombia with a time of 52.25.

In the 400 meters T47 male's event, the winner was Cuba's Daniel Milanés, with a mark of 49.94 seconds, while the silver medal went to the United States' Tahmar Upshaw with a time of 50.67 seconds, followed by his compatriot Rayven Sample, who took bronze with a mark of 50.68 seconds.

This event brings together athletes with a unilateral disability in the upper extremity that results in some loss of shoulder, elbow, and wrist function, which mainly impacts short-distance speed races.

In the 400 meters T53/T54 female's event, Hannah Dederick of the United States won the gold medal with a time of 55.04 seconds.

The winner, who was born in China but is now a U.S. citizen, was also a gold medalist at the 2019 World Junior Para Athletics Championships in the 100, 200, 400, and 800 meters.

The podium was completed by Brazil's Aline dos Santos, who won silver with a time of 57.52 seconds, and Vanessa De Souza, who won bronze with a time of 58.71 seconds.

Class T53 groups athletes who have full arm function, but no abdominal or lower back activity (grade 0), while T54 corresponds to athletes who have full upper body muscle strength, mild to maximum trunk muscle strength, and some leg function.

Finally, in the 400 meters T52 men's event, the gold medal went to Mexico's Leonardo de Jesús Pérez, who won with a time of 1:01.72. The silver went to Colombia's Cristian Torres with a time of 1:03.07, and the bronze went to Peru's Anthony Bouchard with a time of 1:03.15.

Class T52 considers athletes who use the muscles in their shoulders, elbows, and wrists to propel their wheelchairs. There is low to full muscle strength in the fingers with muscle wasting of the hands.

Written by Ernesto Bustos B. – Paula Vivanco; translated by Vicente Valdivia / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport
Photo by Marcelo Hernández / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport