Between June 19 and 25, the Pan American and South American Weightlifting Championship was held in Villa Las Palmas, in the city of Palmira (Colombia), a tournament that brought together delegations from 20 countries, with more than 400 athletes. This event is considered the most important of the year, in the regional scope of Latin America and brought together young ladies and promising men from each attending country, together with the most outstanding and consolidated athletes in five weightlifting categories: youth, under 15, under 17, under 20 and seniors. This tournament was organized by the Municipality of Palmira, the Colombian Federation and sponsored by the Pan American and South American Weightlifting Federations.
As part of the Chilean delegation, the regional weightlifters and members of the Promesas Chile Program of the Coquimbo National Sports Institute arrived at this tournament: Felipe Alfaro and Matías Moreno, who were led in this South American and Pan American championship, by the outstanding regional technician, of the Chilean selected staff and teacher of the Promesas Chile Program: Belem Velásquez, a tournament in which the weightlifter Felipe Alfaro (U15 Category), in his first international sporting foray, achieved an outstanding participation, finishing in third place in South America, with partials of 86 kilos in snatch, 110 kilos in clean and jerk, with an Olympic total of 196 kilo, obtaining three bronze medals.
For his part, Matías Moreno was crowned South American champion (gold medal) in the Under 15 category and vice South American champion (silver medal) in the Under 17 category in his category. His performance to achieve this title was: six valid attempts: 125 kilos in snatch, 160 kilos in clean and jerk, with an Olympic total of 285 kilos. In the Under 15 category, he also broke five Chilean records and five South American records. Matías Moreno also holds the vice South American Under 17 championship, after breaking the Chilean records in clean and jerk and the Olympic total in this same presentation. In addition, the organization awarded him the prize for the best technical mark of the tournament.
The Regional Ministerial Secretary of Sports, Fernando Medina Vergara, congratulated the good performance of the local athletes: “I highlight the work and work that both the athletes and their coaches are doing, as well as the interdisciplinary team of Promesas Chile, who once again achieve international triumphs, with the great performance of Felipe Alfaro and Matías Moreno, who consolidate them on their path to high performance and as a ministry we continue to support.”
