(ATR) Virtual weightlifting competitions and activities organized in the Americas in the midst of the pandemic have felt like a breath of fresh air for athletes.
The Online Pan American Cup for under 20s held last weekend could have been a preview to the tournament of the I Junior Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia, in September 2021.
Several medalists in the recent IWF Virtual World Cup sponsored by the Peruvian Federation repeated on the podium in the new competition in which Colombia topped the medal table.
Some 200 competitors from 20 countries registered for the Pan American Federation virtual tournament through the Colombian Federation.
For several countries, these online competitions represent the opportunity to participate in more international tournaments and with a good number of athletes, which in person would be very restrictive due to costs. For example, Bolivia now registered with 14.
Nowadays, the venues of major events in Asian countries are increasing every day, which makes it more difficult for athletes from the other side of the world to attend.
The top countries by points in the women's competition at the sub-20 continental Cup were: Mexico with 717 followed by Peru 659, Colombia 637, Cuba 590, Ecuador 530, Guatemala 477. On the men's side it was: Colombia 773, Peru 603, Mexico 586 , Ecuador 582, Cuba 438, Guatemala 381.
Colombia with 20 athletes (10 women and 10 men), Peru 20 (10-10), Mexico 19 (10-9), Cuba 18 (10-8), Guatemala 18 (10-8) and Ecuador 17 (8-9 ) were the countries with the largest presence.
In women, Ecuador led the medal table with 10 gold, 3 silver and 4 bronze, while in men Colombia did it with 15-8-2.
The Peruvian Eldi Paredes at 64 kg and the Panamanian Ronier Martinez at 61 kg were the most outstanding weightlifters.
More than 15 online technical and scientific competitions and seminars have been organized by the Pan American Federation since May. Six regional talks and 26 meetings of the executive committee have also taken place.
Among the virtual conversations, the dissertation of the British doctor Michael Irani stood out - months before assuming his post as interim president of the IWF - on life in the time of the new coronavirus, a context marked by postponements and suspensions of world sports and the Olympic calendar.
The Open Virtual Pan American Cup - which has become the first international online weightlifting initiative - and the inauguration of the 1st Weightlifting Hall of Fame in the Americas, were among the most striking activities of the eventful season.
The IWF Virtual U17 World Cup entrusted to the Peruvian Federation and the debate with the American proposals on Governance and Constitutional Reforms for the next IWF Congress in March 2021 also focused the attention of the weightlifting family on the continent.
A Central American fair through Guatemala, the international tournament "Criollo" with the online hub in San Juan, Puerto Rico and the South American and Latin American championships, and Pan American championships for athletes under 15, 17 and 20 years old, all in virtual form, will close the international calendar in December.
Under 20 Pan American Cup medal table:
Colombia 20 gold, 11 silver and 8 bronze; Ecuador 5-13-13; Mexico 8-17-11; Peru 6-10-3; Cuba 3-6-7; Panama 3-3-1; Dominican Republic 3-3-0; USA 3-1-7; Guatemala 2-1-4; Nicaragua 0-2-1; Honduras 0-1-0; Chile 0-0-3; Puerto Rico 0-0-1; Canada 0-0-1.
Written by Miguel Hernandez
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