During these weeks, Chile will be the stage for one of the largest international sports events in the world: the Santiago 2023 Pan American and Parapan American Games, which will bring together around 9,000 athletes from across the continent between October 20 and November 26. The sporting event, which is being held in the country for the first time, will feature over 40 sports and 59 disciplines.
As is the case with major events, Santiago 2023 has been a perfect opportunity to encourage sports in people of all ages, promoting physical activity and sparking the population’s interest in various sports disciplines that don’t always receive the spotlight.
In this context and with the aim of taking advantage of this opportunity to promote school sports, the Luksic Foundation, in collaboration with the Chilean Olympic Committee, supported the development of school tournaments in climbing, table tennis, and 3×3 basketball over the past few months. These are disciplines that the Luksic Foundation also supports in terms of high performance in preparation for the Santiago 2023 Pan American and Parapan American Games.
The championships brought together around a thousand children and young people from different regions of the country, and national team athletes from their respective disciplines also participated. The tournaments were organized in coordination with the Chilean Mountaineering Federation, the Chilean Table Tennis Federation, and the Chilean Basketball Federation.
Rosario Donoso, the Director of Sports at the Luksic Foundation, highlighted that sports “are a tool for social transformation, not only allowing us to instill healthy lifestyle habits and improve physical health in children but also a range of essential skills and competencies for emotional and social development. Santiago 2023 has provided us with a significant platform to enhance this goal.”
Francisca Durán, a student at the Santo Cura de Ars School in San Miguel, participated in the 3×3 basketball tournament held at the end of September at the Sports City of the San Sebastián University. She said, “Championships like this seem very good to me because they encourage people to play and engage in sports. Especially for teenagers, it helps them communicate and get to know each other. Playing basketball is something I’m passionate about and want to continue doing for the rest of my life.”
Climbing: a growing sport making its Pan American Games debut
This year, sports climbing is being included for the first time in the Pan American Games, following its recent debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The discipline, which has seen significant growth in Chile and worldwide, is known for the speed and skill required to practice it, generating excitement not only for those who participate but also for spectators.
“We are working hard on the development of sports climbing in Chile at all stages,” highlighted Miguel Vidal, the General Manager of the Chilean Mountaineering Federation. “In that sense, we are pleased to have the support of the Luksic Foundation and the Chilean Olympic Committee to carry out these activities. Together with the community, we have developed a strategic plan that will allow us to grow and project the development of climbing in the short, medium, and long term in our country,” he added.
The final of the school climbing tournament took place on October 13 and 14 in Parque Mapocho Río in the Metropolitan Region. Martín Ramirez, a 10-year-old from Constitución, traveled to participate in the tournament: “I’ve been practicing climbing for a year, and what I like most is competing. I believe it’s a sport that teaches you to handle frustration and always keep trying. In the future, I’d like to be a national champion.” Martín’s mother, Trinidad Sánchez, accompanied him in the competition and noted, “The progress I’ve seen in my son has been significant in terms of agility, strength, rigor, discipline, and all the positive aspects associated with doing sports and being outdoors.”
Several coaches also attended the sports event. Carlos Rodriguez, from Agua Roca Gym in the Maule Region, emphasized, “As a country, we have a strong talent pool in climbing, and these national sports events give us a special energy to keep growing. Many children here dream of representing Chile and participating in international championships, so we’re working hard toward that.”
In addition to organizing school tournaments, the Luksic Foundation, through a collaboration agreement with the Chilean Olympic Committee, has supported the sports trajectories of over 16 young high-performance athletes who will represent Chile in the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games over the coming weeks in the disciplines of table tennis, 3×3 basketball, and climbing.