Chile celebrated a historic victory at the Pan American Games as Francisca Crovetto claimed the nation’s first gold in the women’s skeet shooting event. This triumph came after tense near-misses in other competitions, adding to the exhilaration of the home crowd in the host city.
The initial disappointment of coming in second in the men’s marathon was followed by Canada’s strong performance in the cross-country mountain bike events, denying Chile an early golden moment. However, Crovetto’s spectacular win on the shooting range brought an end to the wait for a coveted gold medal, marking a milestone in her Pan American Games career.
Despite some initial uncertainty during the shoot-off, Crovetto held her composure and defeated her Mexican counterpart Gabriela Rodríguez, securing the long-awaited gold for her country. Delighted with her achievement, the 33-year-old shooter expressed her joy, stating, “This is my fourth consecutive medal in the Pan American Games, but the fact that the first gold medal was in my country is like a dream come true. It couldn’t be better.”
While Chile basked in the glory of their first gold, the United States dominated the leaderboard with an impressive 11 gold medals on Day One. American athletes excelled in various events, including men’s BMX racing, sport climbing, and skateboarding, as well as women’s cycling time trial and artistic gymnastics team competitions.
Despite fielding a B team, U.S. swimmers continued their stellar performance, securing four more gold medals on the second day, further solidifying their position as frontrunners in the pool.
