Twelve Puntanos in the Pan American Games, a reflection of the best moment in their history

In the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio there was not a single Puntano, in Guadalajara 2011 the first arrived, the pelota player Jorge Villegas, in Toronto 2015 the figure was repeated, with the presence of Carlos Belletini (shooting) and in Lima 2019 it was Alfredo’s turn VillegasJorge’s brother who also won the gold medal.

But in four years everything changed and in this edition of the regional competition par excellence that begins this Friday there will be 12 and then another two in the Parapan American Games, which will begin on November 17. An unprecedented milestone that explains why the sport of saint Louis enjoy the best moment in your history. A reflection of how individual and team work, state support, sports programs, larger budgets and organization allow the growth of national talents.

Puly Villegasspecialist in Basque pelota, will be accompanied this time by two judokas (Keisy Perafán and Agustina Lahiton), two athletes (Bruno De Genaro and Leandro Paris), A cyclist (Tomas Moyano), two handball players (James Parker and Ayelén Rosalez) and four climbing participants (Lautaro Sánchez, Valentina Aguado, Rocío Becerra and Valentín Sternik). Then, in the Parapan American Games, it will be the turn of Albina Torres (archery) and Sebastian Robledo (badminton).

Specialists assure that Villegas, as always, and the two judo girls are the ones with the best chance of a medal, like Parker, the son of the remembered James, who shone in Argentine basketball – champion and figure with GEPU of San Luis in 1991 -, who is part of the Gladiators.

Parker was born in San Nicolás, because his father played there, but within a few days he was already living in saint Louis, Where is her mother from. “It’s my place in the world,” accepts the person who started playing basketball, following his father’s inheritance, but got “burned out” and ended up trying other sports. He first played tennis and then golf until, in his last year of high school, he came across handball “by chance.” His progress was so rapid that one year later he was in the top team for the Binational Games and three years later, in 2014, in the Argentina Under 20 team.

In 2016 he was already playing for a strong team in Buenos Aires (SAG Polvorines) and in 2018 he had made the leap to Spain. He now plays in Egypt and was able to get among the 12 of the sought-after Gladiators after refusing to represent USES, his father’s country. “Everything that happens to me is a dream. I was able to play in the World Cup this year and now I have to go to the Pan American Games. I wanted this, to be a sports professional and I was able to achieve it”explains who is a scorer like his father, although in another sport.

Another nice case is that of Bruno De Genaro, originally from a place (Jarilla) that is a couple of blocks long, with 50 people among its residents. When he was 5 years old, his family moved to Juana Koslay and at 9 he began playing basketball in the local free schools. Until he was 16, when he discovered athletics, almost by chance, as Parker. A coach saw him fit and invited him to try, especially with hurdles, seeing his speed and jump.

That’s how it started and progressed very quickly. He was a two-time South American U20 champion and a medalist at the 2022 South American Games in Asunción. He is now going to the Pan American Games. “It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about participating in the closest thing to an Olympic Games”account.

It is also a pleasure to hear the case of Valentina Aguado (climbing), coming from a family that, as a girl, climbed everywhere, they built a wall in the patio of the house. In 2016, when it started to make the news, the government built a spectacular wall in the Parque de las Nations – the only one of its kind in the country -, along with climbing schools and several organized tournaments, including Latin American ones. Today the results are the four Puntanos that will be in this sport that debuted four years ago in Lima.

This, in reality, has happened to everyone who has exploded in saint Louis. As Tomas Moyano, national champion in three specialties (Scratch, Eliminatory, Omnium), as well as silver in Madison. It is the new jewel of a sport with tradition in the province like cycling. In San Luis, for many Januarys, the famous Tour was held for years, attracting world stars and emulating the Tour de France on the continent, when the international calendar started.

Moyano, as De Genaro, he shone in four Binationals until he began to be called up to the national teams. Just weeks ago, saint Louis He was crowned national runner-up in the Argentine cycling competition, in San Juan. Nothing is a coincidence when so many results arrive.

Basically because it is not the only one that reflects the sports boom in the province. San Luis comes from being second in the Binational medal table (regions of Chile and national provinces compete), being the best Argentine province located, for the first time in 25 editions, ahead of Mendoza and Córdoba, for example.

In basketball, GEPU has aspirations in the Argentine League (second division) and in soccer there is a very strong project, San Luis FC, which is getting closer every day to promotion to the First Women’s Division. In the last Evita Games, the province achieved 60 medals, finishing in fifth place nationally for the second consecutive time. In 2025, it will also host the South American Youth Games.

“We are experiencing a golden moment for San Luis sport. This is demonstrated by going from 1 to 13 athletes in the Pan American Games. It has to do with the support we have received over the years from the Sports Secretariat, giving us tools to train ourselves as athletes. With a team to train, with a doctor, nutritionist, psychologist, clothing, ideal places, trips and scholarships… Little by little, if we continue like this, San Luis will be the birthplace of National Team athletes,” he analyzed. Di Genaro.

parker he nodded. “Without a doubt it is the best sporting moment in San Luis history and by far. Financial support is the main thing of a management that allocated many resources to sport, as well as emotional support, accompaniment from the hand of professionals. It is a great joy to be part of this process,” James acknowledged.