Chile debuts in Parapan American Games Valledupar 2026 this Thursday

Team Chile is set to launch its campaign at the Valledupar 2026 Parapan American Games on Thursday, with its para-cycling national teams competing in time trial events. Sebastián Morales will be the first Chilean athlete to compete, participating in the handbike category at 9:00 AM Chilean time, followed by Manuel Opazo in the C2 class. Later, Benjamín Ruarte and Hernán Moya will compete in the C4 and C5 classes, respectively.

The para-cycling events will conclude with tandem races for visually impaired athletes. The men's tandem team, featuring Matías Mansilla and Elías Tello, starts at 11:15 AM, while the women's tandem duo of Nicol Baeza and Renata Urrutia will close out Chile's participation in the discipline at 11:22 AM. Additionally, the women's wheelchair basketball team will commence their tournament against Peru at 6:30 PM Chilean time.

Lucas Valenzuela, the head of mission for Team ParaChile, expressed confidence in the team's adaptation to the Colombian climate. "Each of the teams has adapted very well to the heat and high humidity in Colombia these days. These have been very positive days towards our goal of arriving in the best possible conditions for these Parapan American Games," he stated. The Chilean delegation comprises 142 athletes, marking the largest contingent the country has ever sent to a major international multi-sport event held outside of Chile.

The delegation includes prominent figures from Chilean para-sports, such as six-time Paralympic medalist para-swimmer Alberto Abarza, world number one in para table tennis class 6, Ignacio Torres, and bronze medalist from Paris 2024, Marion Serrano. Other notable athletes include Juan Carlos Garrido, Francisco Cayulef, Camila Campos, and Tamara Leonelli, who are expected to contribute experience and further success to the national team in Valledupar.