Peru's Gladys Tejeda won the first gold medal for her country at
Lima 2019 Pan American Games by finishing first and breaking a Pan American record (2:30:55) in the women's marathon on Saturday morning.
Leading from halfway,
Tejeda set a Pan American Games record as she crossed the finish line in front of hundreds of cheering fans at Kennedy Park in Miraflores district.
The previous record of 2:35:40 had been set at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games by Brazil's Adriana Aparecida da Silva.
The silver medal went to U.S. Bethany Sachtleben, with bronze being collected by Colombia's Angie Orjuela.
"This is everything I have dreamed of for four years. This is so exciting for me because it is the first time I have won in front of all the Peruvian people," she said after the victory.
"There were so many people supporting me today, and they were so loud. They are the main reason I was able to win," she added.
She was congratulated by President Martin Vizcarra on the occasion.
(END) NDP/ISG/MVB
Published: 7/27/2019