Peruvian athletics reaffirmed its regional strength at the South American U20 Championships, winning 11 medals, securing five qualifications for the 2026 U20 World Championships in Oregon, and setting five new national records. The event took place from October 31 to November 2 at the Videna IPD sports facilities in Lima.
In the final day of competition, Giancarlo Bravo —member of the Peruvian Sports Institute’s Athlete Support Program (PAD)— captured the gold medal in the men’s 800 meters, registering 1:50.86 time. He was followed by Brazil’s Carlos Lara (1:51.64) and Guyana’s Javon Roberts (1:51.98).
"I’m very happy to represent Peru and to win the gold medal. It’s my third South American medal. Last year I earned two in Argentina, in the 800 and 1500 meters. Now I’ll keep training with the PAD’s support for the Bolivarian Games, confident I’ll qualify for the Oregon World Championships," said Bravo, a 16-year-old athlete from Arequipa.
In total, the Peruvian team claimed 11 medals —three gold, five silver, and three bronze— finishing fifth overall with 138 points (65 in women’s events and 73 in men’s). Brazil topped the standings with 398 points.
Five athletes also qualified for the U20 World Championships in Oregon 2026:
- Kimberly Flores (javelin throw)
- Jose Ccoscco (men’s 5,000m race walk)
- Mariano Fiol (men’s 100m)
- Cayetana Chirinos (women’s 100m)
- Lourdes Vega (women’s 5,000m race walk)
Peruvian records were broken by:
- Mariano Fiol (men’s 100m – 10.46s)
- Cayetana Chirinos (women’s 100m – 11.75s)
- José Ccoscco (men’s 5,000m race walk – 20:12.69)
- Kimberly Flores (javelin throw – 50.01m)
- Women’s 4x100m relay team (Catalina Yzaga, Cayetana Chirinos, Mafer Fernández, and Romina Fiol – 46.78s)
A total of 299 athletes participated —144 women and 155 men— representing Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, Guyana, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Venezuela, and Suriname.
This achievement reflects the joint efforts of the Peruvian Sports Institute (IPD) and the Peruvian Athletics Federation to support the nation’s young athletes on their path toward major international competitions, including the Ayacucho–Lima 2025 Bolivarian Games and the Lima 2027 Pan American Games.