Jose Luis Campo: The Legacy From the Sixth Parapan American Games Will Be For All Peruvians

Americas Paralympic Committee (APC) President, Jose Luis Campo, believes that investments for the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games will leave an important legacy for the people and athletes of Peru.

APC President Campo – who was in Lima between 3-5 May for the fourth APC Co-ordination Commission for the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games – stressed that all of the investments being made for the Parapan American Games will benefit all Peruvians and improve the quality of life for people with disabilities living in Peru.

In an exclusive interview with Lima 2019, Jose Luis Campo said:

"The legacy from the sixth Parapan American Games will be for all Peruvians. If we install ramps in a pool, they will remain in place beyond the Games for athletes with disabilities to use. If local transport is adapted, you [Peruvians] will benefit. If applications and networks are created for people who are deaf, blind or physically disabled, they will remain in place for Peruvians to use."

"There are big expectations from Lima 2019. Toronto set the bar very high and at Rio 2016 we saw the best results ever by athletes from the Americas. We were also impressed by the incredible human and sporting performances on show during the Parapan American Youth Games in Sao Paulo.

"When I sat here this week, our meetings were different to those we had in Toronto and Rio. On one table, you had the IPC and APC and on the other you had the Organizing Committee. Here in Lima, we all sat together and that is a clear message of the commitment that Lima 2019 is making to work hand in hand with us".

President of Lima 2019, Carlos Neuhaus said:

"It was a pleasure to welcome the IPC and APC back to Lima to update them on all of the progress we have been making since their last visit. The investments that are being made for the Parapan American Games are going to leave an important legacy for the people of Peru, particularly those with disabilities whose quality of life will improve as a direct result of the Games. We are also working to ensure this legacy will go beyond facilities, and include a positive change in the way all people with disabilities are viewed by society.

Our meetings have been very productive and we have taken on board the constructive feedback from the IPC and APC as we look to accelerate our preparations for staging the biggest ever Parapan American Games."

A total of 1,850 athletes are expected to compete across 17 sports during the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games, which would make it the biggest edition of the Games to date.

The 17 sports that will make up sport program are: athletics, badminton, boccia, cycling, football 5-a-side, football 7-a-side, goalball, judo, powerlifting, shooting, sitting volleyball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair tennis. Badminton, shooting and taekwondo all feature for the first time in the Games, which will take place at the end of August 2019.

25 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics iswww.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only