Jefferson Perez, gold medal and Miriam Ramon, silver medal for Ecuador in the South American Championship in Cochabamba 
BOLIVIA, 19/04/2006. The five-time world race walking champion Jefferson Pèrez assured their advance to the World Cup programmed for May in La Coruña, Spain, upon winning the men's senior 20 kilometer competition.
Perez had to work hard for his victory because only near the finish did he assure his victory and the gold medal he disputed with Luis Fernando Lopez of Colombia, who finished in second place.
The competition began with the competitors tightly grouped and with Ronald Huayta of Bolivia in the lead by a few meters, but his pace did not last long because the group overtook him, and he began to drop back before finally being disqualified for technical faults.
On the seventh lap, the Lopez of Colombia took the lead followed closely by Rolando Saquipay of Ecuador, who was disqualified on the ninth lap, leaving the Colombian with a 50 meter lead over Perez. But the two-time world champion increased his pace and began to reduce the distance, and in the last two kilometers emotion filled the spectators as the watched the Olympic champion and five-time world champion took the lead to finish first with a time of 1 hour, 26 minutes and 57 seconds.
Lopez finished second in 1h27"16. His countrymen Aurelio Rendón was third in 1h28"30 followed by another Colombian, Freddy Hernandez. These positions signified the team championship for Colombia and classified them for the World Cup.
The winners of the South American Race Walking Championship classified for the World Cup in la Coruña, Spain, and as a prize will receive their air fares paid by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF).
Regarding the team loss to Colombia, that brought three athletes for the 20K, while Ecuador had entered five, Perez said that he felt "frustrated" and that it was "worrisome" that athletes from his country were disqualified due to technical faults.
"How can it be that Ecuadorian race walkers are considered to possess the best technique in the world and Ecuadorian athletes are disqualified in regional tournaments. I mean to say that I haven't been that responsible in adequately transmitting my knowledge," Perez said as a self-criticism.
Silver for Ramon
In the women's category the Geovana Irusta of Bolivia successfully defended her title won in Chile in 2004 by defeating the Miriam Ramon of Ecuador in an exciting duel. Irusta recorded a time of 1h41m20s, Ramon, 1h43m32s and Sandra Zapata of Colombia, 1h45m 58s for third place.
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