Bella Paredes wins gold in Cali-Valle 2021 and gets a direct ticket to the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games | Other Sports | sports

The fight was tight, not only in the category of Bella Paredes but in all of the day on Sunday. The board was constantly changing, as everyone wanted to take the victory and with it the qualification for the Pan American Games in Santiago 2023.

Bella is used to competing in the 76 kg division, but the strategy had to change to face a higher category, since she could reach gold and thus gave her partner Kelin Jiménez the opportunity to also lift a medal.

He went to the platform asking for the highest weight at the start and in his second attempt he already surpassed his rivals with 101 kg. However, Bella knew that Colombian Sirley Montaño had the clean and jerk in her strength, so she tried to surpass herself with 104 kg, which she could not achieve.

In the clean and jerk he never lowered his arms and was on a par with his contenders, at one point there were up to five rivals who could fight for the gold. Although her strength is the start, she had an impeccable presentation with three successful attempts: 120, 125 and 128. The latter filled her with so much emotion that she celebrated with a big hug to her coach Modesto Sánchez.

“As my coach said, he hadn’t felt this emotion for a long time, he too had tears coming to his eyes and it filled me with great satisfaction, the six attempts were not completed, but the medal was completed, he gained four kilos of the Olympic total I had before, one in snatch and three in clean and jerk, and that’s a lot, ”Bella commented.

At the end of his third attempt, he still did not secure the gold medal, since Montaño, who was carrying 127 kg, asked for 132 kg. When she tried to lift them, the entire Ecuadorian bar that gathered at the Ramón Elías López Coliseum in Palmira made themselves felt, and the Colombian failed in her last chance to win the title.

All those who were on stage chanted the name of Ecuador and later the emotion became greater with the notes of the National Anthem for the fourth time in Cali. Bella finished with a total of 229 kg, Montaño placed second with 225 and third place went to the Dominican Elizabeth Reyes with 222.

“That bar from Ecuador that was from the stands screaming helped me a lot, Ecuador, Bella dale, from home I felt the vibe of my mother, be my family, I felt the force that they were sending me from there, because that vibe is felt when one she puts her heart into the things she wants, ”said the Ecuadorian who represented the country at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires in 2018.

KELIN JIMÉNEZ, SILVER

Previously, Kelin Jiménez also won a silver medal in a very close battle with Sindy Santana from the Dominican Republic. With 123 kg in the clean and jerk, her personal best, and 95 in the snatch (218), the Ecuadorian surpassed the Central American by one kilo in total (217). The first place went to the American Olivia Reeves (235).

NEISER GREFA, BRONZE

Neiser Grefa, for his part, who had another fight apart in the 96 kg division, rescued a bronze medal that seemed lost, because in the snatch he finished in fourth position and in clean and jerk there were five athletes who were for the gold. The Ecuadorian registered 144/185/329.

Modesto Sánchez, one of the coaches of the national team, highlighted the team’s brilliant performance in Cali. “Five competitors, five medals, the tests, the effectiveness very high, only three movements have been missed, and we have two golds, one silver, one bronze. We still have one competitor left, we are happy with the work we have done, Professor Marco Culcay and myself. Very happy with all the athletes, ”said Sánchez. “There is very good wood, young boys, with talent, with discipline, with dedication on the platform.” (D)