San José beach in Encarnación was dressed for a party to welcome athletes from all over the continent, in a high-level organizational display that highlighted the magnitude of the Junior Pan American Games. Public attendance was massive, enthusiastically supporting an event that stood out for its technical demands, the security provided, and the colorfulness of the aquatic delegations on an unforgettable day.
In the women’s results, Cibelle Eichelberger from Brazil took first place with a time of 2:01:14.7, followed by Ana Abad from Ecuador with 2:01:17.8, and in third place was Paulina Alanis from Mexico with 2:01:32.1. In fourth place was Lizian Simoes from Brazil with 2:01:33.8, while fifth place went to Sharon Guerrero from Mexico, who finished with 2:01:41.7.
In the men’s event, the gold went to Paulo Strehlke from Mexico, who won with a time of 1:50:01.5, demonstrating a high competitive level. The silver was for the Brazilian Matheus de Freitas with 1:50:05.7, just four seconds behind in a vibrant finish. The also Brazilian Leonardo Brandt took the bronze, registering a time of 1:53:03.3. In fourth place was the Colombian Freddy Arévalo with 1:54:22.9, while fifth place went to Jeison Rojas from Costa Rica, who completed the event in 1:54:32.2.
The afternoon of competitions was filled with great emotion and strong support from the crowd from Encarnación, who vibrated with every stroke in the Paraná waters. The end of the day raised the name of Encarnación as a host of international events, consolidating the discipline of Open Water as one of the most exciting on the calendar. With high-level athletes and a massive public that came to support, the competition became an example of the Pan American spirit and a legacy of effort and passion that will be recorded in the history of ASU2025.
