Flor Denis Ruiz in the javelin at the South American Games (© Oscar Munoz Badilla )
Ecuador’s Brian Pintado produced the best performance of the first two days of athletics competition at the South American Games in Asunción, Paraguay. Colombian javelin thrower Flor Denis Ruiz and Argentine middle-distance runner Federico Bruno were also among the top performers.
The 27-year-old Pintado, who finished fourth at this year’s World Championships, dominated the 20km race walk, held on the morning of the first day of competition at the Bay of Asunción, in the Avenida Costanera.
Pintado was in control of the race at the halfway mark (40:15), where he was followed closely by his compatriot Alexander Hurtado. But Pintado dominated more emphatically in the second part of the race, delivering a convincing victory in 1:19:43, just nine seconds shy of his personal best, set in Oregon in July.
Pintado retained the title he had won in 2018 and set a Games record. Hurtado was second in 1:20:44, also close to his personal best (1:20:31), while Brazil’s Caio Bonfim was third in 1:21:01.
The event, traditionally a strong one for Ecuador, produced another gold medal for the country in the women’s race, also on the first day. Glenda Morejón won in a Games record of 1:31:34, having passed through the half way mark in 45:03. The 22-year-old, winner of the 35km at this year’s World Race Walking Team Championships in Muscat, beat Brazil’s Viviane Lyra (1:32:31, a personal best) and Peru’s Evelyn Inga (1:35:49).
Kehr takes hammer title
Games records were also broken in the in-stadium events, held at the National Athletics Centre.
Chile’s Gabriel Kehr won the men’s hammer with a Games record of 76.81m, one of three throws beyond 76 metres in his series. The 2019 Pan American champion beat his compatriot and world finalist Humberto Mansilla, who was second with 74.12m.
Gabriel Kerh in the hammer at the South American Games (© Oscar Munoz Badilla)
Venezuela’s Rosa Rodríguez, the 2014 Games champion, won her second title with an effort of 68.90m, ahead of Colombia’s Mayra Gaviria, second with 65.40m.
Peru’s José Luis Mandros won the men’s long jump with the fourth-best leap of his life, 8.07m, beating Uruguay’s defending champion and 2016 Olympic finalist Emiliano Lasa (7.93m).
In the men’s 5000m, Federico Bruno gave Argentina its first title in the discipline in the history of the Games by outkicking Uruguay’s Santiago Catrofe to win in 13:54.79 to 13:55.24, also setting a Games record. One day later, Bruno doubled at 1500m with a more emphatic triumph, this time in 3:40.90, ahead of Brazil’s Guilherme Kurtz (3:41.58) and Catrofe (3:42.57). The 29-year-old Bruno, who had won the 1500m in 2014, emulated Chile’s Emilio Ulloa with two victories at the distance (1982 and 1986).
Bruno’s Argentine teammate Fedra Luna won the women’s 1500m in a Games record of 4:14.69.
The rain was an unexpected protagonist of the night session of the second day, affecting the quality of many performances. The weather during the morning session, however, was kinder to the athletes in the women’s javelin. Colombia’s Flor Denis Ruiz, the South American record-holder and 2016 Olympic finalist, delivered a Games record of 62.97m to take the title. In a competitive final, Brazil’s Jucilene de Lima was second with 62.42m and Ecuador’s Juleisy Angulo was third with 61.10m, a national record.
Brazil’s Letícia Oro Melo, the surprising bronze medallist at the 2022 World Championships, won the women’s long jump in difficult and rainy conditions with 6.64m (0.5m/s). Once again, like in Eugene, the 25-year-old produced her best jump in the first round. Colombia’s Natalia Linares was second with 6.43m.
Argentine sprinters shine
It has been a while since Argentine athletes have showed dominance at short distances, but these Games delivered a breakthrough in that sense, with victories from Franco Florio over 100m and Elián Larregina over 400m.
In rainy conditions, 22-year-old Florio won the men’s 100m in 10.35 (-1.2m/s), beating Brazil’s Felipe Bardi dos Santos (10.37) and Colombia’s Carlos Andrés Palacios. Florio recently broke the 24-year-old national record with 10.11 at the South American U23 Championships, and in Asunción he became the second Argentine man to win the 100m at these Games, since Gerardo Meinardi’s victory in 1986.
Larregina won the men’s 400m by a large margin in 45.80, beating Venezuela’s Kelvis Padrino (46.41).
Colombia’s Evelis Aguilar, the South American heptathlon record-holder, won the 400m in 51.90 ahead of Chile’s Martina Weil (51.92) and Ecuador’s Gabriela Suárez (52.24, a national record).
At the end of the second day, Brazil dominates the medal table with eight gold, five silver and five bronze, ahead of Argentina (5-2-1). The athletics programme commenced on Wednesday 12 October and will conclude on Saturday.
Eduardo Biscayart for World Athletics
