In current edition, Pan American Games athletics have criticized broadly for lack of deepness of contesting team squads – mainly United States, it directly affected general performance level of the competition. In return, both 100 metres finals merely contested in the level of some 30 years ago. Men’s 100 metres final won by Jose Gonzalez from Dominican Republic at 10.30 seconds, that practically second lowest winning mark since 1967, the year electronical timing established at the Games. For the comparison, all the medal winning clockings in 100 metres were better than today’s winner, since 1991.
The all three medallists in 100 metres, Jose Arnaldo Gonzalez, Felipe Bardi and Emmanuel Archibald were produced well-ahead marks during the season, but the lengthy competition calendar doesn’t help them to keep their level high until November.
ONE OF THE WEAKEST
Similar scenario also seen in women’s side. Yunisleidy Garcia wins women’s 100m contest by taking first athletics gold for “badly-wounded” Cuba, but she clocked only 11.36 in the final, some 0.28 off from her personal best. Even worse, two high-class sprinters Jasmine Abrams and Michelle Lee Ahye following her with very modest marks lower than 11.5 secs to taking podium places. The result sheet indicated weakest women’s 100m final since 1975 in terms of top three combined.
The unnamed US runner Kasey Knevelbaard has broken the Mexican winning streak in men’s 5000 metres to taking gold while he has slowest finish at the Games since 1955! Knevelbaard secured a Pan Am title with 14:47.69 which seems in lowly-contested national championships of any country.
The 23-year-old Colombian Arnoldo Dalmero jumped 8.08m to secure gold medal ahead Cuban rivals, both marked 8.01. So on, silver and bronze went to Cuba while Uruguay’s medal hope Emiliano Lasa comes fourth with 8.00m jump on the table.
Thereby, Colombia sweep long jump Pan-Am titles with very first time in both sexes as Dalmero joins women’s champion Natalia Linares.
Meanwhile, the host nation Chile also grabbed their second gold thanks to Santiago Ford who collected 7834 points after ten events in decathlon. However, he finished the competition more than 800 points behind championship record held by great Damian Warner back in 2015.
