PARALYMPIC AND PARA SPORTS NEWS
![Douglas Matera Brazil](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2023-11/bestathletes1.jpg?itok=hPRkd72B)
Brazilian Para swimmer led Santiago's 2023 performance chart with eight gold medals
Douglas Matera won the highest number of gold medals in the Parapan American Games with eight; Maria Carolina Gomes Santiago and Karol Palomeque shared the spotlight in the female side, with five each
![A man standing next to a screen showing his world record on an athletics field](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2023-11/Sol%20Cuba.jpg?h=38c3a0fe&itok=xHV1_7dL)
Santiago 2023 Review: Robiel Sol and Paris champions break world records in Chile
Cuban jumper is one of the five Parapan Am Games winners to set new world marks at the Centro Atletico Mario Recordon with Brazil's Elizabeth Gomes and Samuel Oliveira leading the country to the top of the medals table, while Colombia's Jose Gregorio Lemos and Karen Palomeque continue their impressive run of titles
![Podium sweep for Philippines on the podium.](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2023-11/Philippines%203.jpg?itok=Ru8e4XuX)
Jun Obero’s triple gold show close Genoa 2023 World Championships
Jun Obero, de Asis propel Philippines to top of medals table while Kasicka-Solc take twin gold medals on final day at RDS Stadium Genova
![A male swimmer with a cap of Brazil celebrating in the pool](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2023-11/Douglas%20Matera.jpg?h=3b3f1bcf&itok=jMmuVdvf)
Santiago 2023 Review: Douglas Matera leads Brazil's gold medal rush in the pool
Brazilian swimmer participates in eight of his country's 66 victories in the Chilean capital, world champions Carlos Serrano, Nelson Crispin and Sara Vargas take Colombia to second place while USA's Paralympic champion Evan Austin makes successful return and Vicente Almonacid puts host nation on the top of the podium
![closing ceremony santiago 2023](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2023-11/ceremonia2.jpg?itok=Ya19YaPO)
Santiago 2023 says farewell on a night filled with music, homages and camaraderie
The seventh edition of the Parapan American Games ended this 26 November with an emotion-packed closing ceremony
![A standing man hugging a woman in a wheelchair](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2023-11/Dance%20Italy.jpg?h=bafb5847&itok=N1zgNPXM)
Genoa 2023 World Championships: del Sere wins first gold for hosts Italy
The wheelchair dancer and her standing partner Barberis pull of surprise win while David Pontes clinches first Worlds title for Brazil on penultimate day
![osiris machado mexico](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2023-11/records2.jpg?itok=cg-fr-kS)
Five world records and 300 Parapan American records set in Santiago 2023
Growth of Para sports in the Americas since Lima 2019 is tangible by the amount of new records imposed; the vast majority came from Para athletics and Para swimming
![Philippines' Edelyn de Asis dazzled the Genoa audience with her impressive dance skills and took the gold and silver on the opening day.](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2023-11/Philippines%202.jpg?h=2674e8bd&itok=rxRVvuqJ)
Genoa 2023 World Championships: Philippines open with twin gold
De Asis, Jun Obero claim two gold for the South-east Asian nation, while top names Kasicka and Chynka emerge winner on opening day of Worlds
![Cicero Do Nascimento de Brazil (blue) y gersson mejia de Guatemala](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2023-11/power11.jpg?itok=T8rBb8kz)
Four medallists from Santiago trust the social impact that just one medal can have
Athletes from Guatemala, Panama, Bermuda and Puerto Rico gave their countries their only medal in Santiago 2023, yet they still believe they can help improve participation, visibility and acceptance of Para sport and people with disabilities
![usa goalball](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2023-11/rivalidad2.jpg?itok=HIGw3dzo)
Santiago 2023 made old rivalries in team sports reborn, but also sprouted new ones
Team sports like goalball, wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, blind football and CP football always have the added ingredient of having that one team that athletes want to face the most
![A female Para athlete with a rifle in a shooting range](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2023-11/Maria%20Restrepo.jpg?h=72a20da7&itok=dZtsSVFB)
Santiago 2023 Review: Gong leads USA, Restrepo puts Colombia on top
United States finish first on the medals table for second consecutive Parapan American Games followed by Brazil and Cuba; historical results for Colombia with maiden gold, while Argentina, Costa Rica and Uruguay reach the podium for the first time
![A couple in wheelchairs dancing](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2020-08/49156891603_0a3acb573b_4k.jpg?h=65b71683&itok=ICUKwu9w)
Genoa 2023 World Championships: All you need to know!
As many as 160 athletes from 24 nations will be competing in Italy marking the first edition of the Worlds in four years and the second time it takes place in the country; five world champions to be crowned on Friday, day one of the event at the RDS Stadium Genova
![A man in a wheelchair proposing to a standing woman in a competition arena](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2023-11/Jorge%20Carinao.jpg?itok=INnUSUvi)
Santiago 2023 Review: Brazil on top, Chilean team and USA's Body make history
Juan Carlos Garrido, Camila Campos and Jorge Carinao take individual and team gold in front of the home crowd while Brazilian athletes grab seven titles in Para powerlifting events at this year's Parapan American Games
![Josselyn Miranda el salvador](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2023-11/jovenes4.jpg?itok=mGwZfq4O)
At 13 years old, the 3 youngest athletes in Santiago show that age is just a number
The three youngest competitors of the almost 2,000 that are part of the Parapan American Games got an amazing life and sporting experience in Santiago 2023
![A female wheelchair dancer with a red dress during a competition](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2022-09/Bonn%202019%20-%20Helena%20Kasicka.jpg?itok=9aWjrmZU)
Genoa 2023: Helena Kasicka eyeing to inspire at World Championships
Slovakian Para dance sport star and six-time world champion looks back at her career and achievements as she prepares to compete in two single and three combi events at this week's World Championships in Italy
![omara durand](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2023-11/athletics1.jpg?h=f5c0f6aa&itok=767IwS8b)
Paralympic champions of Para athletics are proving why they already touched the gold
Para athletics events started on 21 November in Santiago 2023, with big names of the sport showing early on their talents in the Parque Estadio Nacional
![tamara leonelli chile](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2023-11/paris20241.jpg?h=26a33edf&itok=1-7feJZI)
Winning a medal and getting a slot for Paris 2024, a good combination for many sports
Table tennis dealt 16 direct Paralympics tickets for gold medal winners from Santiago 2023; Para shooting and Para archery already gave four and eight slots to NPCs of triumphant athletes or finalists
![A female wheelchair dancer with a standing male partner](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2023-11/Eve%20Dahl.jpg?h=aafe3905&itok=_liNIHlN)
Genoa 2023: Eve Dahl optimistic about Para dance future in USA
US athlete will be making her major international debut as the youngest competitor in the World Championships that takes place in Italy from Friday to Sunday this week