Romani wins shot put on second day of South American Championships

Brazil’s Darlan Romani produced the best result of the second day of the South American Championships in Lima by winning the shot put with 21.00m on Saturday (25).

Romani, world ranked No.3 and South American record-holder with 22.00m, secured his second South American title after his victory in Asunción two years ago. Romani was in a class apart and produced a solid series: 21.00m, 20.89m, 20.35m, 20.12m, 20.39m, 20.24m.

“It’s very important to be consistent over 21 metres during the whole season”, said Romani, who will now head to a training camp in León, Spain, to focus on the Pan-American Games and the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019.

Willian Dourado made it a 1-2 for Brazil with 19.09m, while Argentina’s Germán Lauro, winner of six consecutive titles between 2005 and 2015, was third with 18.97m.

Saturday was another good day for the Brazilian team, adding 12 medals (six gold) to the 33 (13 gold) they have so far.

Eliane Martins, world ranked No. 15, retained her long jump title with 6.71m (0.5m/s). Brazilian Keila Costa, the 2010 world indoor bronze medallist, was second with 6.38m (0.0m/s), capturing her seventh medal at the event. Chile’s Macarena Reyes, the 2013 champion, was third with 6.36m (0.0m/s).

Brazil’s Tatiane Raquel da Silva, world ranked No. 31, won the 3000m steeplechase with 9:45.52, setting a personal best and a championship record in a solo effort after the first 1000m (3:19). South American record-holder Belén Casetta of Argentina was second in 10:04.54.

Young sensation Alison Brendom Alves dos Santos added his first South American title at 400m hurdles to his collection with his victory in 49.88. The 18-year-old, who is world ranked No.25, has twice improved the South American U20 record this season, leaving it at 48.84 at the Brazilian stop of the IAAF World Challenge. In a tough battle, the young Brazilian beat Chile’s Alfredo Sepúlveda (50.02) and the 2017 champion, Argentina’s Guillermo Ruggeri (50.20).

One of the more celebrated victories for Brazil came at the women’s hammer, where Mariana Marcelino retained her title from Asunción with 66.78m. Marcelino, world ranked No.23, upset the best throwers in South American history, Rosa Rodríguez (66.45m) and South American record-holder Jenny Dahlgren of Argentina (65.06m).

Colombian victories by González, San Martín and Márquez

Colombia also had a positive day, adding eight medals (3 gold) to their total of 21 (seven gold). The day was headlined by the 400m hurdles victory produced by Melissa González. González, world ranked No.35, took her event in a championship record of 55.73, also breaking the national record of 56.05 set by 1992 Olympic 400m bronze medallist Ximena Restrepo.

Panama’s Gianna Woodruff, the South American record-holder, was second with 56.77 after fading in the final part of the race following an aggressive first half.

Another Colombian, Carlos Andrés San Martín, took the men’s 3000m steeplechase with a PB of 8:36.37. In a huge breakthrough, the 25-year-old beat Brazil’s Altobeli dos Santos (8:38.43) with a speedy final lap of 61.9.

Jaime Dayron Márquez, world ranked No.58, took victory in the javelin with a first-round throw of 78.00m, winning comfortably from Chile's Francisco Muse (75.97m).

Venezuelans shine

Venezuela is having a good tournament, with a total, so far, of nine medals (five gold), in spite of presenting a limited team.

World bronze medallist Robeilys Peinado, world ranked No.14, contributed to her country’s positive display with her third continental pole vault title. In just her second competition of the outdoor season, the 21-year-old vaulted 4.56m to win comfortably from Colombia’s Katherin Ibarbo (4.11m).

Perhaps their most significant victory came in the men’s 4x100m, where the Venezuelan quartet of Alberto Aguilar, Abdel Kalil, Alexis Nieves and Rafael Vázquez upset Brazil by beating them 39.56 to 39.91. Brazil’s team featured just one of the athletes who contributed to their victory at the recent IAAF World Relays.

Brazil won the women’s 4x100m in 44.70, ahead of Colombia (44.90) and Argentina (45.65).

Venezuela’s Geormi Jaramillo, world ranked No.17, dominated the decathlon with a 7784 victory, the first for his country at the event since Ramón Montezuma’s triumph in 1974.

Jaramillo breaks South American race walking record

Ecuador’s Karla Jaramillo set the only South American record of the meet, so far, by winning the 20,000m race walk in 1:30:52.0. The 22-year-old, who finished seventh at the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships, erased the previous area and championship records of 1:31:02.3 set by Colombia’s Lorena Arenas in 2015. Bolivia’s Ángela Castro was second with a national record of 1:32:35.9.

Uruguay’s world and Olympic finalist Emiliano Lasa won the long jump with 7.76m (0.0m/s). Lasa, world ranked No.11, reached the winning distance in round three, to beat Brazil’s Paul Sérgio Oliveira (7.71m/0.2) and Colombia’s Raúl Mena (7.66m/-0.1).

Brazil’s Vanessa Spínola is leading the heptathlon with 3465 points after the first day, 17 points ahead of Venezuela’s Luisarys Toledo.

Eduardo Biscayart for the IAAF