II Youth South American Games Santiago 2017
The 2nd South American Youth Games Santiago 2017 was held in Santiago of Chile from September 29th to October 8th, gathering 1248 athletes from 24 disciplines.
Weightlifting competitions were held in the Olympic Training Center (CEO) between October 4th to 8th, with the participation of 75 young lifters (38 men and 37 women) coming from 10 countries (Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Panamá, Paraguay and Uruguay).
The “CEO” is a big sports complex, who lodges the Chilean Olympic Committee and Federations offices, plus the Institute of Sport of the Santo Tomas University and is the training place for more than 15 sports, including weightlifting. Many disciplines developed their competitions here, including weightlifting whose venue being one of the most spectacular ones in the entire place.
Weightlifters showed outstanding performances, strength and talent during the 4 days event setting many new Youth South American Games records, showing a skip of quality compared to the first version of the games, in a spectacular venue and a joyful atmosphere heated by a generous public, great part of it watching weightlifting for the first time.
Many national authorities such as the Ministry of Sport Pablo Squella and the President of the Olympic Committee Miguel Angel Mujica expressed their satisfaction for the level of the competition, the quality of the venue and the passion of the competitors and fans.
The IWF was represented by Ursula Garza Papandrea, first woman Vice-President and President of the USA Weightlifting Federation, José Quiñonez, IWF Vice-President and President of the South American Confederation of Weightlifting and Luis Zambrano, Executive Board Member and President of the Federation of Ecuador.
Social media and TV transmissions both deserve a special mention with thousands of visits during the weightlifting competitions.
Brazil was the leader in the overall medal table, however Colombia with 6 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze, was the winner in weightlifting. The rest of the medals were distributed between Ecuador (2, 4, 1), Venezuela (2, 2, 0), Perú (1, 1, 4), Argentina (1, 1, 1), Panamá (0, 1, 0), Chile (0, 0, 3) and Brazil (0, 0, 1).
Source: Federación Chilena de Levantamiento de Pesas www.fechipe.cl