He never tires of making history.
Florencia Pérez, the Chilean tennis player who found her foundation in the Telethon to jump into the sport with a hunger for glory, once again inscribed her name with golden letters in Chilean sport.
The Paralympic athlete, who forged herself in the discipline under the instructions of Esteban Carrasco, won a new gold medal at the Santiago 2023 Para Pan American Games.
She first did it in the women’s class 8 singles, after beating the Brazilian Sofía Kilmer.
This time, teaming up with Ignacio Torres, he won the gold medal, winning with a huge comeback against Brazil in the mixed para table tennis final.
In the XD 14-17 category, Pérez and Torres began by losing in the first two sets against the Brazilian duo of Jennyfer Marques and Israel Pereira.
However, the national team came back and took the gold after winning 7-11, 12-14, 11-8, 11-9 and 11-9 in the CEO of Ñuñoa.
A dream come true
“It was a dream for me. It was a complicated match, we were able to turn it around, it was very difficult, but we were able to win gold,” declared Florencia Pérez, who won her second gold medal at the Santiago 2023 Para Pan American Games.
“We left nervous, it is a final, a full stadium, the nerves are always there. After the third set we let go, the audience was very supportive. Happy for this revenge that sport gives us,” added Ignacio Torres after the tough final that they had to overcome with determination and concentration.
“FIt was a tough match, because the Brazilian duo has a good world ranking. They were playing against a duo that was more functional than the Chilean one. The Ignacio with the Florencia with class 6 and 8 and them, 7 and 9, there was a difference in functionality and mobility in relation to the Brazilians, therefore we were at a disadvantage. Ignacio has minimal mobility, class because, and that was a duo, they turned the match around, they were two sets to zero, they tied it at two and in the fifth set they were down, after the fifth point, the service rotation was made, which that favored Chile. Ignacio and Florencia played very well, they attacked when they had to attack, they passed the ball when they had to pass it, they controlled it well, they were brave, Florencia did not give up at any time. She is a high-class player. She is a champion. She is showing that she is a player with a great future. As her coach, I believe that she will be number one in the world,” she stated.
