Lucas Garcés secured a silver medal for San Juan at the XIII South American Games Santa Fe 2026, competing as part of the Argentine men’s compound archery team alongside teammates Nelson Salinas and Iván Nikolajuk. The trio advanced to the gold medal final against Colombia, where they narrowly missed the top spot with a final score of 231 to 228.
The Road to the Podium in Santa Fe 2026
The men’s compound archery team event at the XIII South American Games Santa Fe 2026 culminated in a tightly contested final matchup. Garcés, Salinas, and Nikolajuk pushed the Colombian national selection to the limit in a duel that finished with a three-point margin at 231 to 228. During the final, Garcés shot eight arrows, landing four with a score of 10 and maintaining a personal average of 9.5 points.
For Garcés, the tournament carried mixed fortunes across disciplines. Before earning his place on the podium in the team competition, the San Juan archer competed in the individual event, where he did not advance to the final stage. Regrouping for the team competition, he and his teammates secured the silver medal, ensuring he departed the continental tournament with a podium finish and a new international achievement for his career.
San Juan’s Medal Milestone at the Games
The silver medal captured by Garcés marked San Juan’s seventh overall presea at the Santa Fe 2026 Games, surpassing the six medals the province achieved during the previous edition in Asunción 2022. Earlier provincial contributions to the medal count included Delfina Dibella and Mateo Kalejman in individual road time trials, Gonzalo Molina in BMX racing, Maribel Aguirre in track cycling’s madison, and Rubén Ramos Meglioli in track cycling’s team pursuit and madison events.
The regional delegation’s tally retains potential for further growth. Indoor volleyball athletes Samuel Guidi Correa and Benjamín Flores advanced to the tournament semifinals, keeping additional medal opportunities active for San Juan athletes in Santa Fe.
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