The 2023 South American Fencing Championship in the Pre-Cadet, Cadet and Youth categories began this week and will end on September 9, in the city of Asunción, Paraguay and the large Bolivian delegation has already won three medals. Two of bronze and one of silver in both branches, feminine and masculine.
The competition is organized by the Paraguayan Fencing Federation (FPE) in coordination with the South American Fencing Confederation (CSE) and is taking place near the Central Sports Center of the Olympic Park.
Among the Bolivian representatives who have already taken home medals are: Santiago Rejas, who took the first bronze, in the Pre-Cadet saber, Esteban Mayer, who won a silver one in the Cadet saber and the most recent one was from Rafaela Bonadona with a bronze in female Juvenile saber.
The first medal
The first medal for Bolivia was for Santiago Rejas, who managed to stand out during the group stage, where he won four of the five fights he had.
Due to these results, the young fencer passed as the fifth seed to the direct elimination phase and managed to overcome two rounds. In the round of 16 he defeated the Colombian Gabriel Santamaría (15-14) and in the quarterfinals his compatriot, the Bolivian Emiliano Rojas (15-11).
In the semifinals he faced the favorite of the favorites, the Brazilian Arthur Wolff, who unfortunately prevailed with a close result (15-12).
The interesting thing about this competition is that two bronzes are awarded and Rejas was the owner of one of those medals. The podium was with Wolff in first place, in second the Venezuelan Carlos López and next to the Bolivian representative was the Brazilian Joaquim Peluso.
Photo: Bolivian Fencing Federation
Mayer to the podium
Esteban Mayer from La Paz arrived at the contest as one of the favorites and a great Bolivian candidate to reach the podium in Paraguayan lands and he did not disappoint, highlighted the Bolivian Fencing Federation (FBE).
He made his debut on the third day of competition and was part of group 2. He calmly prevailed in the five fights he had. With these results, he went to the round of 16, where the fight was forced to win since it led to direct elimination.
In that instance he defeated the Venezuelan Kevin Jiménez (15-12); In the quarterfinals there was a duel between Bolivians and he defeated Rejas (15-6), while in the semifinals he faced the third favorite, the Brazilian Erico Patto (15-12) and thus reached the grand final.
In the last battle he competed against the Peruvian Lukas Eichhorn, fourth seed and against whom he fought in the final of this same weapon and category of the Pan American Cadet and Youth that took place in Bogotá, Colombia, last March. There was history involved.
Finally, he lost to the Peruvian shooter (15-11), but, despite the final results, he managed to take the silver medal and is already a source of pride for all of Bolivia.
Photo: Bolivian Fencing Federation
Feminine power
This Thursday the women’s national representative, Rafaela Bonadona, won the second bronze medal for Bolivia in the women’s junior saber category. The third in total for the country.
He managed to stand out in the group stage; he was in pool 4 and defeated his rivals in three bouts out of four. Thanks to these results, she advanced to the round of 16, being the sixth seed.
In that instance, she faced the Argentine Natalia Bermúdez, taking the victory 15 to 6. In the quarterfinals she defeated the third favorite of the competition, the Chilean Florencia Cabezas (15-10).
Photo: Bolivian Fencing Federation
In the semis, she faced the Brazilian Luana Pekelman, who won 15-3. Her rival was the second seed and she was the one who ultimately took the gold, defeating her compatriot Ana Fraga; Third place was shared with Camila Vieira, another competitor from Brazil.
2023-09-08 04:09:45
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