Felipe Bardi dos Santos wins the 60m at the 2022 South American Indoor Championships (© Carlos Quispe / Federacion Atletica de Bolivia)
Rosangela Santos and Felipe Bardi dos Santos, both from Brazil, produced the best performances on day one of the second edition of the South American Indoor Championships on Saturday (19). Both Santos and Bardi dos Santos won the 60m titles, setting championship records at the event taking place at the Estadio Municipal in Cochabamba, Bolivia.
The 31-year-old Santos, a 100m finalist at the 2017 World Athletics Championships, won her race in a season's best of 7.24 and retained her 2020 title. Her compatriot Vitoria Cristina Rosa was second with 7.25, a personal best, in a tight final where Chilean Macarena Borie was third with 7.42, also a personal best.
“This is the fifth time I have raced in Bolivia," said Santos. "I am happy with my result and for Vitoria, who had her first good race at 60m.
"I’ll work hard in the weeks that lead to the World Indoor Championships. My goal is to run under 7.17 and improve my South American record."
The 23-year-old Bardi dos Santos also had a tight competition, prevailing by a slim margin. He won with 6.62 ahead of Venezuelan David Vivas, who set a national record with 6.63. Argentine Franco Florio was third with 6.70. This was an indoor debut for Bardi dos Santos, who won the 100m and 200m double at the 2021 South American Championships. Like Santos, he is qualified for next month's World Athletics Indoor Championships Belgrade 22.
Brazilians dominated the first day, producing three more victories. Livia Avancini won the shot put on her indoor debut with a championship record of 17.52m, in a series which also included 17.31m, a foul, her winning mark of 17.52m, 16.86m, 17.34m and 17.36m. Chilean Ivana Gallardo was second with 17.03m and Brazilian Milena Sens was third with 16.59m.
Raiane Vasconcelos won the pentathlon with a personal best of 3921 points (8.87 at 60m hurdles, 1.72m at high jump, 11.49m at shot put, 5.80m at long jump and 2:30.30 at 800m). The remaining Brazilian gold from the first day came in the pole vault, where Augusto Dutra de Oliveira prevailed with 5.50m ahead of his compatriot Abel Curtinove (5.05m). The 2020 South American Indoor champion, German Chiaraviglio from Argentina, had three fouls at 5.20m.
The non-Brazilian victories were delivered by Panama’s Nathalee Aranda, who won the long jump with 6.43m ahead of Chilean Rocio Munoz, who leapt a national indoor record of 6.29m, and by Bolivian runners at 1500m. David Ninavia clocked 3:56.16, while Jhoselyn Camargo’s time was 4:39.33.
Nathalee Aranda (© Carlos Quispe / Federacion Atletica de Bolivia)
Venezuelan Georni Jaramillo is leading the heptathlon with 3346 points (7.04 at 60m, 7.57m at long jump, 16.07m at shot put and 1.88m at high jump) after the first four events, ahead of Brazilian Felipe Vinicius dos Santos, who collected 3342 points (6.75, 7.10m, 14.00m, 2.00m).
The altitude stadium of Cochabamba (2577m above sea level), that also hosted the event in 2020, is the only indoor athletics facility in South America.
Eduardo Biscayart for World Athletics