The South American Games Santa Fe 2026 concluded with a tally of 54 continental marks broken across track and field, swimming, shooting, and archery, according to official competition records. The two-week multisport event showcased upgraded regional infrastructure, with athletes and delegation officials frequently pointing to fast surfaces and modernized venues as central catalysts for the record-breaking performances.
Fifty-Four Records Shattered Across Four Disciplines
Official records show that the competition produced 54 new marks, distributed primarily across aquatic and track disciplines. While specific regional tournament databases differentiate between all-time continental records and specific South American Games records (SGR), the combined output marked a performance peak for the gathering. Track and field and swimming spearheaded the surge, accounting for the vast majority of the broken milestones while drawing elite competitors from across South America.
Track and Field Deliver Nineteen New Marks at Pedro Candioti Center
Athletics alone accounted for 19 new records set inside the Centro de Alto Rendimiento Deportivo (CARD) Pedro Candioti in Santa Fe. Brazil’s Alison Alves dos Santos clocked 44.61 seconds in the 400 meters, while Chile’s Martina Weil ran 50.45 seconds to secure the women’s 400-meter record. In long-distance events, Ecuador’s Mary Granja claimed the 10,000-meter crown with a time of 32:29.50, and Argentina’s Belén Casetta crossed in 9:35.44 to set a new benchmark in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Additional field marks included Paraguay’s Lars Flaming launching a javelin throw of 84.36 meters, and Chile’s Claudio Romero recording a 65.33-meter mark in the discus throw, as detailed by regional sports reporting. Additional marks also fell in the 5000 meters with Uruguay’s Valentín Soca, in the 400 hurdles with Matheus Lima and Gianna Woodruff, in the women’s 200 meters with Venezuela’s Orangys Jiménez, and in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with Panama’s Didier Rodríguez, alongside a 13.05-second mark by Brazil’s Vitoria Sena in the 100-meter hurdles. The closing day further expanded the list as Colombia set a time of 44.36 seconds in the women’s 4×100 relay, while Venezuela established new marks in the mixed 4×100 and men’s 4×400 relays.
Following her victory in the 10,000 meters, Granja pointed directly to the track’s construction as a vital aid. “The track was very fast,” Granja said after her race, noting that the surface helped her maintain energy for a strong final kick. The venue featured a newly laid synthetic surface officially homologated by World Athletics, drawing praise from visiting coaching staffs and athletes alike.
Aquatic Contenders Rewrite Nineteen Games Standards
The Invencible Centro Acuático Provincial played host to 19 new swimming records, featuring dominant performances from athletes representing Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, and Chile. Among the prominent names on the scoresheet were Pedro Silva (competing also as Pedro Spajari in regional circuit listings) in the 50-meter freestyle, João Gomes Júnior in the 50-meter breaststroke, and Santiago Grassi in the 50-meter butterfly. Stephan Steverink added multiple records in the men’s 200-meter and 400-meter freestyle events, while Macarena Ceballos secured breaststroke milestones in the 100-meter and 200-meter distances, and Cecilia Dieleke swept backstroke marks in the 50-meter and 100-meter categories. During the tournament, the swimming sessions left new Games records and a strong presence from the delegations of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Venezuela.
Shooting and Archery Athletes Set Multiple New Records
Precision sports rounded out the record books, with shooting sports contributing 12 new marks across various classifications, finals, and team events at the Invencible Centro Internacional de Tiro Deportivo. The list of record-setters featured regional standouts including Peru’s Marko Carrillo and Marcelo Gutiérrez, alongside Argentina’s Alexis Eberhardt, Julieta Mautone, and Fernanda Russo, plus Uruguay, Ecuador, and Chile representatives such as Andrea Pérez and Francisca Crovetto. Archery added four distinct records tied exclusively to compound bow divisions, with Colombian athletes sweeping individual and team standards to close out the competition.
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