Chilean world champions receive Tokyo 2020 scholarship
From 11 Chilean athletes selected by the NOC and the IOC to receive the Olympic Solidarity Tokyo 2020 scholarship, two were weightlifters.
Arley Mendez, triple world champion, and María Fernanda Valdez, gold medalist in clean and jerk in Anaheim, were notified of this decision last week and signed the respective contract with the President of the Chilean Weightlifting Federation Italo Barattini and the President of the Chilean Olympic Committee Miguel Angel Mujica, on a ceremony held at Santiago on Thursday 1st of March, in the presence of the NOC General Secretary Jaime Agliati and the Vice President Aquiles Gómez.
Both athletes were proposed to IOC – by the recommendation of IWF – in view not only of the excellent results last year, but also because they have a good chance to qualify for Tokyo Olympic Games and fight for medals.
Another important factor is their projection to Santiago 2023, when Chile will hold the most important sport event in America: the Pan-American Games.
