Kimberly García, the gold collector who raves Peru at the World Athletics Championships

Since the opening of Athletics World Championships almost four decades ago (Helsinki 1983), representatives of Peru had practically not appeared in the finalist positions, much less, in the medal zones. Nor did the athletics of Peru, which has an exquisite history at the South American and Bolivarian level, practically not figured in the Olympic events. The only world title corresponded to a junior, specialist in high jump, Alfredo Deza in 1997, the son of a great champion of obstacles (but who had no experience in the higher category).

In just one week, that situation was transformed by a name: Kimberly Gabriela Garcia29 years old, he won two gold medals, a real feat given the level of the international march.

First he won the more traditional 20km race, where he set 1h26m58 – the second record in South American history – and this Friday he conquered the 35km, the “large courtyard” which has just begun to unfold on the women’s World Cup program.

It did so with 2h39m16, a milestone that has so far only been surpassed by two Russian demonstrators, who are banned – due to the invasion of Ukraine – from participating in international events. Garcia had launched this distance just three months ago in Dudince, where it took him another four minutes, ahead of the same Chinese walker, Shinjie, who has now relegated to second place in the 20 and 35 kilometers.

Kimberly has become a national idol for Peru, but her rise to stardom is no surprise. From the promotional categories (Sub 18 and Sub 20) he had shown excellent physical and technical conditions for walking, within a movement that has taken place in the last decades in several countries of our region, after the exploits of the Ecuadorian Jefferson Pérez, the best walker in world history. Ecuador itself, Colombia, Peru and finally Brazil are taking a step forward in a world field that was previously managed by the Russians – always suspected of doping – then by the Chinese and which now extends to many other regions.

Peru has done some interesting groundwork among hikers, mainly those who have emerged from cities at more than 2,500 meters (with all the benefits this has for long-distance runners or hikers). Names like Paolo Yaurivilca and César Rodríguez have emerged, but above all García has monopolized the highest expectations.

In the junior category she had already been among the top ten in the world, in Barcelona 2012. She suffered a great disappointment for the 2021 Olympic Games: she, in a pandemic, had suffered an injury that complicated all preparations and had to abandon the Sapporo trial – but he has recovered to come back stronger than ever. And since the World Cup under the scorching heat of Oman, last March, you have shown that you are ready to fight in the top positions: you have conquered the bronze, your first of you at that level. “It was then that I began to feel that I could also win,” she recalls. Therefore, Eugene these days is not that surprising.

Kimberly García hails from Huancayo, a site at 3,200 meters, which hosts the highest marathon in the world.oy which is also suitable for training walkers. But the key in recent months has been joining the team led by Ecuadorian Andrés Chocho, although often his technical concepts had to be received via Zoom. “I admire him as a person and as an athlete,” he says.

“We connected well from the first moment. Trust is important and he asked me what I wanted. We started with modest goals, but he said he had what it takes to achieve (more), “said Garcia. In preparation for the World Cup, he did a preparation ‘camping’ in Ecuador, which he traveled among the 20 and 30 kilometers in the morning.

Like most elite athletes in South America, he has suffered from various deprivations and, many times, from a lack of support. But he managed to get over it. “If we have more support, we can do a lot better. I am very proud of myself, my country should be very proud of me. We worked hard to get here. ”At least he will have greater financial peace of mind with the $ 140,000 he receives from the Athletics World Championships for his World Cup victories ($ 70,000 each).

Kimberly García is the name of the moment for the South American march, which had already been supported in recent times, as mentioned, by Colombians such as Sandra Lorena Arena (second Olympic classified in the 20 km of Sapporo 2021) and Eider Arévalo (world champion over the same distance in London 2017) or the Brazilian Caio Oliveira by Sena Bonfim, another inevitable in the top positions from his fourth place of 20 and 50 km. at the Rio 2016 Games.