With three gold medals achieved in the first competitions on Saturday, Mexico reached the total of 45 at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games to set a historical record in the continental competitions.
A day before, the Mexicans equaled the 42 they had achieved in Guadalajara 2011. The mark fell on Saturday morning, when Beatriz Briones and Karina Alanís won the K2 500 meters of canoeing.
Shortly after, the Basque pelota contributed two to reach 45. Marifer Noriega defeated the Argentine Sabrina Andrade 2-0 to win the gold medal in the final of the women’s rubber paddle and then Itzell Reyes defeated the Uruguayan Leonella Acosta 2-0 in the women’s fronton to reach 45.
Mexico had planned to win more golds in archery, but the men’s and women’s teams lost to the United States in the finals and settled for the silver medals.
“All the metals that are added are important. Mexico’s participation has been leading so far in the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games,” said the director of the government’s National Commission for Physical Culture and Sports, Ana Guevara. “I am very happy to be here and share in this celebration of American sports.”
Before Santiago, Mexican leaders had estimated a harvest of 33 gold medals in conservative forecasts, although they wanted to reach the 37 they achieved in Lima 2011, which represented their best performance in a Pan American Games achieved away from home.
Mexico arrived in Chile with several athletes in its first continental games and there were some doubts about its real scope. Several of them exceeded expectations.
“It is a young delegation; There are sports that require this maturity, however, there are others that brought out the caste, that far from the forecasts made their work and their presence count,” added Guevara.
In addition to the gold count, Mexico hoped to finish third in the overall medal table at the Pan American Games in Santiago, to repeat what it did four years ago in Lima. Until now, it maintains a close fight with Canada for that place. The United States and Brazil have separated themselves from each other and will finish 1-2 in the medal table.
