By Steve Keating
SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Peru’s Kimberly Garcia won gold in the Pan American Games women’s 20 kilometre race walk on Sunday but her time was voided after it was discovered the course was several kilometres short.
Officials only realised the error when Garcia, the 2022 world champion and silver medallist at the 2019 Lima Pan Am Games, crossed the finish line in a time of one hour, 12 minutes, 26 seconds which would have demolished China’s Jiayu Yang’s world record of 1:23.49.
Ecuador’s Glenda Morejon took silver and Peru’s Evelyn Inga bronze after completing a route which athletes believe was about 3km short.
With women’s event completed and the men’s race about to get underway organisers delayed the start for over an hour to quickly remeasure the route to the official distance.
Ecuador’s Alexander Hurtado would win the men’s gold in 1:19.20 just four seconds ahead of world championship bronze medallist Caio Bonfim of Brazil.
“In relation to the women’s race walk event held today in Parque O’Higgins, we inform that the official race times are null and void due to a measurement problem that is the exclusive responsibility of the Pan American Athletics Association (APA),” said the Santiago Organising Committee in a statement.
“The expert commissioned by APA, Mr. Marcelo Ithurralde, did not take accurate measurements of the route the athletes took during the race.
“As established by international regulations, APA is the only organisation authorised to carry out measurements and therefore is responsible for the official distance of the competition.”
The APA did not respond to a Reuters request to explain the reasons behind the error but both the organising committee and the Pan American Sport Organisation were quick to lay blame.
“For its part, the Santiago 2023 Corporation is in charge of hiring the expert designated by APA and facilitating his work in the field of competitions,” said the organising committee.
“We deeply regret the inconvenience for the athletes, their coaches, the public and the attending press, but this situation cannot be attributed to the organising committee.”
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Santiago. Editing by xxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
