Americas records for Araujo, Ortiz at Mexico City 2015

Araujo improved on the regional mark in the women’s over 86kg with three good lifts, including a last round effort of 116kg.

Brazilian powerlifter Edilandia Araujo and Chile’s Maria Ortiz both sealed new Americas records on Tuesday (28 April), on their way to titles at the 2015 IPC Powerlifting Open Americas Championships in Mexico City.

Ortiz, who is in only her second competitive season, hauled 90kg in the women’s up to 67kg for her first major international title.

Her gold medal was never in doubt as she pulled away from closest competitor and silver medallist Brazilian Terezinha Santos (81kg) with the second round lift, adding 13kg to the previous record.

Australian Jessica Gray (68kg) bettered her personal best by 1kg to take bronze.

Araujo improved on the regional mark in the women’s over 86kg with three good lifts, including a last round effort of 116kg. That added 1kg onto the previous mark set by Mexico’s Perla Barcenas in 2013.

Despite a failed first round attempt of 85kg, Mexico’s Maria Lira went onto to push 95kg to take silver.

Triple Paralympic medallist Barcenas was in action in Mexico City having moved down a weight category, this time winning gold in the women’s combined up to 73kg and 79kg.

Her face-off with Brazilian 2014 World Championships bronze medallist Marcia Menezes was one of the headlines of the Championships, but Barcenas emerged triumphant with 111.01kg.

Menezes (94.37kg) led Venezuelan Jeanette Heredia (69.80kg) onto the podium.

Rounding off the women’s events was another gold for the hosts courtesy of Catalina Diaz Vilchis (95kg) in the women’s up to 86kg. Her teammate Aunolia Valadez, 17, sealed silver and laid down the first junior world mark in the event with a 50kg lift.

Jacob Schrom grabbed the USA’s first medal of the Championships with gold in the men’s up to 88kg.

Schrom found his stride with a 180kg lift in the second round after a failed first attempt, and that was all that was required to step onto the top of the podium. Cuba’s Oniger Drake equalled third placed Rodrigo Marques’ 170kg push, emerging to take silver thanks to his lower body weight.

Argentina’s Lucas Gareca (146kg) was impressive in the junior category, adding 9kg to the previous world record.

Evanio Da Silva won Brazil’s third gold medal in the men’s up to 80kg, with three perfect lifts leading him to his final 186kg result.

Ahmed Shafik (165kg) and Jacob Stearns Jr. (148kg) completed a great day for the US on the bench, finishing with silver and bronze respectively.

Mexico City 2015 concludes on Wednesday (29 April), as the men’s heavyweights take to the stage.

Mexico will be looking for a good performance from Worlds bronze medallist Jose Castillo in the men’s up to 97kg to round-off a great week, which currently sees them at the top of the medals table with five golds, one silver and two bronze.

The combined men’s up to 107kg and over 107kg will then complete competition at the first IPC Powerlifting Open Americas Championships, which have featured over 120 lifters from 25 countries.

Live results and coverage are available at www.Mexico-City-2015.com.