Saraí Aparicio shoots gold and bronze arrows at the Chile 2025 Youth Parapan American Games
Santiago, Chile; November 3.- Saraí Asenet Aparicio managed to have the Mexican National Anthem heard in Chile by winning for Mexico and Guanajuato the first gold medal in archery within the Youth Parapan American Games.
The Guanajuato archer, classified W2, not only gave a historic medal in the individual recurve bow event, but also took a bronze in mixed teams, thus becoming the delegation’s top medalist in these games.
In Mexico’s debut in the youth Parapan American Games, the Mexican team, made up of five archers, won three medals with flashes of gold, silver and bronze.
Saraí Asenet Aparicio competed against the Colombian Maira Alejandra Mosquera for the gold metal. A difficult duel for the Guanajuato native who had shots of 7 and 8 due to the wind that made her lose concentration.
However, the marksmanship demonstrated during the competition held at the Peñalolén Archery Center, located at the foot of the Andes, far surpassed the bad weather.
The gold arrived and with it a historic celebration, which marks the starting point to strengthen this discipline in the country.
It was not only one medal but two, since the Guanajuato native competed alongside Tadeo Illescas, achieving a bronze medal by beating the duo made up of Nathalia Nunes and Felipe Eduardo Pereira from Brazil.
The delegation obtained a third medal, a silver that came thanks to the marksmanship of Lya Daniela Sánchez Tadeo in the individual compound bow event.
Saraí did not stop smiling after her victory, “I am very proud to give the results I wanted for Mexico and for my state and to have the anthem be present on the podium.”
“Yes, I was nervous and a little afraid, but I focused on the next shots.”
From now on, the Guanajuato native’s arrows point towards Los Angeles 2028, an event in which she hopes to represent Mexico in this discipline.
For Ana Loza, the medalist’s coach, the meaning of this historic triumph goes beyond getting on the podium “Saraí has all the profile to position herself for the next Paralympic Games in Los Angeles 2028.”
“This opens up opportunities in an area that is not so explored, which is para-youth and it is where the future of Mexico lies, it is where we have to go look for those children with disabilities to offer them a more inclusive activity, which is adapted archery.”
“Saraí opens the gap, she is a pioneer, we are in the Parapan American Games and Saraí takes the gold, Mexico takes the gold.”
