Thursday, November 23rd, 2023.- The first day of Para Taekwondo concluded with an evening marked by the awarding of medals, which were distributed to Mexico, Peru, and Brazil. These delegations, in intense battles, managed to reach the top of the podium. 

In the female's -47kg category, Peru secured the first-place finish. Their representative, Leonor Espinoza, defeated the Mexican Claudia Romero 10-4, thus claiming the first gold for Peru in this competition. 

The female's -52kg category also featured Mexico as a protagonist. However, they once again fell short. Jessica García couldn't secure the gold as she was defeated by the favorite, Brazilian María Machado, in a tight match ending 5-3. 

The best was saved for last, where in the highlight bout of the day, Mexico finally secured a win and claimed the top spot in the Parapan American Games. Their representative, Para Taekwondo athlete Iván Torres, narrowly defeated Fabricio Marques 18-17, leaving everyone at the Contact Sports Center on the edge of their seats. 

"Truthfully, it was complicated, point by point. I believe you had to keep a cool head and execute the work of years," said Torres after obtaining his hard-fought but ultimately golden medal. 

Written by José Tomás Lambert y Camila Silva; translated by Paulette Bertín / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport 
Photo by Diego Alvujar / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport