愛污传媒

Skip to main content

Wrong distance takes women's walk race athletes to mistaken record at Pan Am Games

From left, Ecuador's Glenda Morejon, Peru's Gabriela Kimberly Garcia and Peru's Evelyn Inga pose on the podium of the women's 20km race walk at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) From left, Ecuador's Glenda Morejon, Peru's Gabriela Kimberly Garcia and Peru's Evelyn Inga pose on the podium of the women's 20km race walk at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Share
SANTIAGO, Chile -

Peru's Kimberly Garcia thought she set the world record in the women's 20 kilometers walk race at the Pan American Games. She later found out she didn't.

Organizers of the largest multi-sports in the continent said in a statement that the times of the race were annulled due to "a measuring problem" in Santiago's O'Higgins Park. They blamed the Association of Pan American Athletics for the mistake.

Athletes believe the distance they ran in Chile was about 3 kilometers (almost 1.9 miles) shorter.

The gross mistake adds to Santiago's woes in the organization of the Pan American Games, which started on Oct. 20 and finish on Nov. 5.

Garcia finished her race in a cold and damp morning in 1 hour, 12 minutes and 26 seconds. The record belongs to China's Jiayu Yang in 1 hour, 23 minutes and 49 seconds.

Eleven other competitors seemingly finished their race below the world record.

"We do control our pace a lot and right out of the gate, in our first lap, we say the pace was too strong. It was quicker than the men's," said Brazilian Viviane Lyra, who finished fourth. "We knew there was something strange, so our goal wasn't even taking the timing into consideration."

The Pan American Games organization said it filled its role by hiring Marcelo Ithurralde, an expert commissioned by the association, to take the measurements for the race.

"He did not take accurate measurements of the route the athletes took during the race," organizers said. "We deeply regret the inconvenience for the athletes, their coaches, the public and the attending press, but this situation cannot be attributed to the Organizing Committee."

The Association of Pan American Athletics didn't respond to a request for comment.

The mistake delayed the men's competition by one hour. The walk race requires competitors to always have at least one foot on the ground.

Garcia still celebrated her gold medal. Organizers didn't respond whether her result stands despite the measuring issue.

Organization problems at the Pan American Games have included trash scattered outside competition venues in the four days following the Opening Ceremony, threats of a strike from the private security company working the events and a leak in the handball venue of Vina del Mar, outside Santiago.

The leak cut short Saturday's women's handball match between Chile and Brazil. The Brazilians won 30-10 and will play the final against Argentina.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Marred by several delays, the trial of alleged human traffickers Lauriston and Amber Maloney is underway Monday in a Bradford courtroom, with both entering a not guilty plea.

A group of Cape Breton firefighters are apologizing after four people showed up at a Halloween dance dressed in what appeared to be Ku Klux Klan costumes.

BREAKING

BREAKING

The count of absentee ballots in B.C.鈥檚 nail-biting 2024 provincial election has put the NDP ahead of the Conservatives in the Surrey-Guildford riding.

Local Spotlight

Epcor says it has removed more than 20,000 goldfish from an Edmonton stormwater pond.

Witches and warlocks have been flocking to New Brunswick waterways this month, as a new Halloween tradition ripples across the province.

New Brunswicker Jillea Godin鈥檚 elaborate cosplay pieces attract thousands to her online accounts, as well as requests from celebrities for their own pieces.

A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.

Hundreds of people ran to the music of German composer and pianist Beethoven Wednesday night in a unique race in Halifax.

He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

Stay Connected