José Acevedo, a gold medal against all odds and with a flavor from Ourense

The name of Joseph Acevedo had not been heard before on the loudspeakers of an Olympic cycle event, until in Valledupar rumbled with National Anthem included. The Ourense, 22 years oldentered the books of the Bolivarian Games after hanging the gold medal of the division kumite -84 kgin his first foray into a tournament of this type.

Dream fulfilled. And it is that despite his inexperience, the young karate fighter surpassed six fights to reach the top of the podium in Valledupar.

“We knew that each match was going to be a final; but without a doubt, the most complicated were those in which I faced the Dominican, with whom I ended up drawing in both”, he said excitedly and with a eye bruiseproduct of the fights, after giving joy to the country.

Acevedo began his group defeating the Venezuelan 3-0 Freddy Valera. At the next stop he had the Salvadoran as a rival Jorge Merino, whom he defeated 2-1. Already in the third fight of the group he defeated the Peruvian Charles Mendoza 6-1, thus achieving his qualification for the semifinals, in which he had even stronger fights, such as with the same Salvadoran Merino, with whom he played two more close matches.

to the Dominican Anderson Soriano, who in the long run was his rival in the final, also faced him in the initial stage. Against him he achieved two draws: 1-1 in the first and 4-4 in the second; the latter, with the decision of the judges in favor of the Ecuadorian, a result that allowed him to win the gold.

This Monday, June 27, the sum of Ecuador’s medals continued. In judo, category +100 kilograms, Freddy Figueroa silver was hung; while in squash two bronzes were achieved with Maria Paula Moya and Maria Caridad Buenanoin the women’s doubles, and Javier Romo with Rafaela Albuja, in mixed doubles. Both advanced to the semifinals and fell to Colombia.

It should be noted that at the end of the day on Sunday, in addition to Acevedo, the karate discipline garnered two bronze medals: one in the women’s branch with Valeria Echevar, and another in the men’s with Fred Proaño, in the +68 kg and -67 kg divisions, respectively. While the silver medals that day came through the judoka Celinda Corozoin the 70 kg division, and Gabriella Vargas, in the skating races, with the subtitle of the 10,000 m elimination test. In artistic gymnastics, Alais Perea he achieved the Bolivarian vice-championship in all around.

Until the closing of the edition, Ecuador already added 17 medals, distributed in 2 gold, 8 silver and 7 bronze.

This Tuesday, June 28, at the Bolivarian Games, the Ecuadorian shooter will debut Yautung Cave, who will be shooting in the men’s 10 meter air pistol. In addition, regattas 2 and 3 will be held in the different classes within the competition of sailingwhere there are nine tricolors in dispute.