Fabio Gomes da Silva celebrates winning the South American Championships (© Wander Roberto/CBAt/Divulgação)
Brazilian Fábio Gomes da Silva produced the best result of the first day of competition at the 45th edition of the South American Championships that began on Thursday 7 June and will end on Saturday 9 June at the track of the “Estádio Ícaro de Castro Mello” in São Paulo.
Gomes da Silva won his event over World Youth and World Junior champion, Germán Chiaraviglio of Argentina, and completed a wonderful day by setting an Area Record of 5.77m at the Pole Vault.
It was a very clear victory for the 23 year-old from Campinas, who had one miss at 5.30m, his first height, and then vaulted 5.50, 5.60 and the record height of 5.77m at his first attempts. Later on, he had 3 close misses at 5.85m.
The previous record had been set by another Brazilian. Thomas Hintnaus who also had American blood, had vaulted 5.76m in Zürich on 21 August 1985.
“This mark represents the concretization of all the work done with my coach, Édson Miranda de Souza, and lately with the advice of Vitaly Petrov. I wasn’t totally expecting the record for today, but the conditions were outstanding, and I felt great. Now I will have to focus on the Troféu Brasil, the Pan-American Games, and later, the Osaka World Championships, but it feels great that I can start thinking about 5.80m and beyond,” said Gomes da Silva after the victory.
Chiaraviglio didn’t have a good day at all. He needed 2 attempts to clear 5.20 and 5.40m, and then recorded 3 fouls at 5.55m.
“Something was missing… I had one competition in Buenos Aires (5.20m), where I broke a pole, but still I came here with higher hopes, since I have been feeling great physically. I will be traveling to Italy next week to train with Petrov and try to regain confidence and rhythm,” added the 20-year-old from Santa Fe.
Adriano gets her 6th Discus crown
There are no indications that 34-year-old Brazilian Elisângela Adriano is on her way out. On Thursday, she obtained her fourteenth gold medal in the history of the Championships, by winning the Discus (her sixth title in this event) with a season’s best of 59.85m.
Adriano’s best throw of the day came in her fourth attempt. Colombian Luz Dary Castro was second with 52.23m, and another Brazilian, Renata de Figueirêdo was third with 51.69m.
In the 2 other throws contested on Thursday, Argentina emerged with 2 surprising victories. 23-year-old Germán Lauro was the winner of the Shot with 19.65m, beating the South American record holder Marco Antonio Verni, from Chile (19.22m).
Lauro had a very consistent series of throws: 19.33, 18.93, 19.44, 19.15, 19.65 and 19.19. This is his second consecutive victory at the Championships.
Still, the major breakthrough of the day was provided by Pablo Pietrobelli, a 26-year-old, who won the Javelin with 76.52m, a new national record.
Before the event, it was very clear that Pietrobelli wasn’t the favourite, and came from behind in the fifth round to surprise the then leader, Paraguayan Víctor Fatecha.
The South American junior record holder had his best throw in the second round with 75.95m, but could not recover from Pietrobelli’s attack.
Brazilian Júlio César Miranda de Oliveira completed the podium with 74.56m, while the South American lists leader, Alexon Maximiano, could only manage to throw 71.14m (7th).
Lucimar Moura shines on the track
33-year-old Brazilian Lucimar de Moura, recorded one of the best track performances of the first day, by taking the 100m in 11.20 (wind 0.2 m/s).
“My South American record is 11.17, but it was obtained in 1999 in Bogotá, in high altitude. Today I feel this performance is even better than the record, and my goal is to get closer to 11.10 by the Pan-American Games,” said Moura. “The day was wonderful. I felt very happy after the 11.32 from the heats, so this time is a bonus,” added Moura, who now has five 100m titles at the event.
Colombian Felipa Palacios finished second with her best time of the season, 11.43, and Brazilian Thaíssa Barbosa Presti was third with 11.63.
The 100m Hurdles were taken by Colombian Brigitte Merlano with 13.27 (wind nil). The victory was a historic one, since it became the first time that a Colombian wins the event (or the former 80m Hurdles) in the history of the Championships.
Brazilian Gilvaneide Parrela was second (13.40), and compatriot Lucimara Silvestre da Silva was third (13.48, a pb).
Colombia also obtained a victory in the morning session when Javier Guarín won the 5000m in 13:51.19, a new Championship record, ahead of Argentinean Javier Carriqueo (13:55.37).
At 110m Hurdles, Brazilian Anselmo Gomes da Silva set the record straight for the locals by winning in 13.56 (wind -0.8). Éder Antônio de Souza was second with a pb of 13.58, and third, 8m behind, was Chilean Francisco Castro (14.31).
The other 2 finals of the day also went to Brazil. Rogério Bispo won the Long Jump (7.94/1.4), while Ednalva Laureano da Silva, “Pretinha”, triumphed in the 5000m (16:09.96).
Eduardo Biscayart for the IAAF
Results
Men
5000m
1 Javier Guarín (COL) 13:51.19 *
2 Javier Carriqueo (ARG) 13:55.37
3 William Naranjo (COL) 13:56.99
110m Hurdles (-0.8)
1 Anselmo Gomes da Silva (BRA) 13.56
2 Éder Antônio de Souza (BRA) 13.58
3 Francisco Castro (CHI) 14.31
Pole Vault
1 Fábio Gomes da Silva (BRA) 5.77 */AR
2 Germán Chiaraviglio (ARG) 5.40
3= Javier Benítez (ARG), João Gabriel Sousa (BRA) 5.20
Long Jump
1 Rogério Bispo (BRA) 7.94/1.4
2 Hugo Chila (ECU) 7.81/0.8
3 Rodrigo de Araújo (BRA) 7.77/1.2
Shot Put
1 Germán Lauro (ARG) 19.65
2 Marco Antonio Verni (CHI) 19.22
3 Yojer Medina (VEN) 18.44
Javelin
1 Pablo Pietrobelli (ARG) 76.52 NR
2 Víctor Fatecha (PAR) 75.95
3 Júlio César de Oliveira (BRA) 74.56
Decathlon – 5 events
Oscar Mina (ECU) 3851 [10.96/0.0 6.75/0.3 12.37 1.99 50.26]
Danilo Mendes Xavier (BRA) 3808 [11.23/0.0 7.22/0.5 11.99 1.87 49.47]
Sinval de Oliveira (BRA) 3795 [11.21/0.0 7.11/0.1 11.73 1.84 48.40]
Women
100m (0.2)
1 Lucimar de Moura (BRA) 11.20
2 Felipa Palacios (COL) 11.43
3 Thaíssa Barbosa Presti (BRA) 11.63
5000m
1 Ednalva Laureano da Silva (BRA) 16:09.96
2 Lucélia Peres (BRA) 16:16.07
3 Bertha Sánchez (COL) 16:21.17
100m Hurdles (0.0)
1 Brigitte Merlano (COL) 13.27
2 Gilvaneide Parrela (BRA) 13.40
3 Lucimara da Silva (BRA) 13.48
Discus Throw
1 Elisângela Adriano (BRA) 59.85
2 Luz Dary Castro (COL) 52.23
3 Renata de Figueirêdo (BRA) 51.69
20,000m Walk
1 Sandra Zapata (COL) 1:37:46.0 */NR
2 Miriam Ramón (ECU) 1:38:26.3 NR
3 Tânia Spindler (BRA) 1:38:49.3
* Championship record
