Team Paraguay finished the XIII South American Games Santa Fe 2026 with 37 medals after adding 17 podium finishes during the second week of competition. The Games concluded on Saturday, 26 September, after two weeks of competition across Santa Fe, Rosario and Rafaela in Argentina. The Paraguayan delegation finished with nine gold, nine silver and 19 bronze medals, placing ninth in the final medal table. During the second week, Paraguay secured four gold, three silver and 10 bronze medals across several sports.
Among the main achievements were titles for Lars Flaming, Fiorella Gatti and Luján Palacios, Martín Abud and Facundo Dehnike, as well as the men’s football team. The week also brought a historic milestone as Paraguay surpassed 200 medals across its participation in the South American Games.
Paraguay reaches 200 South American Games medals
The second week brought a historic milestone for Paraguayan sport. On 23 September, table tennis player Marcelo Aguirre secured Paraguay’s 200th medal in the history of the South American Games. Aguirre defeated Colombia’s Manav Vikash Thakkar Arcila 4-2 in the men’s singles quarter-finals, guaranteeing himself at least a bronze medal. It represented Paraguay’s 28th medal at Santa Fe 2026 and the country’s 200th since its participation at La Paz 1978.
Paraguay subsequently added another nine medals before completing the Games with 37. This brought the country’s historical South American Games tally to 209 medals. Santa Fe 2026 also became Paraguay’s second most successful South American Games by total medals. The 37-medal campaign surpassed the 30 won at Cochabamba 2018, although Asunción 2022 remains the national record with 48.
Gold medals
Lars Anthony Flaming: javelin throw
On 24 September, Lars Anthony Flaming won gold in the javelin throw with a distance of 84.36 metres. The mark set a new South American Games record and also represented a new personal best for the Paraguayan athlete.
Fiorella Gatti and Luján Palacios: women’s doubles squash
The Paraguayan pair were crowned champions in women’s doubles squash after defeating Colombia 2-0 in the final. The games ended 11-10 and 11-8, giving Paraguay its seventh gold medal at that point in the competition.
Men’s football team
On 25 September, Paraguay retained the men’s football title after drawing 0-0 with Argentina and winning 5-4 on penalties. The Albirroja Sub-20 side therefore claimed the gold medal again after winning the title at Asunción 2022.
Paraguay completed the tournament undefeated, having also beaten Argentina 2-1 during the group stage. The team defeated Chile 1-0 in the semi-final before facing the host nation again for the title.
Martín Abud and Facundo Dehnike: padel
The Paraguayan pair won gold in men’s padel after defeating Argentina 2-0, with scores of 7-5 and 7-6. With this victory, Paraguay reached 37 medals at Santa Fe 2026. Abud and Dehnike completed the tournament undefeated after victories over Ecuador, Uruguay, Venezuela, Chile and Argentina. Their victory also delivered the first men’s padel gold medal in South American Games history, as the sport made its debut at Santa Fe 2026.
Silver medals
Women’s handball team
The Paraguayan women’s handball team won silver after drawing 25-25 with Argentina on 20 September. The result placed Paraguay second in the competition and also secured qualification for the Lima 2027 Pan American Games.
Fiorela Rodríguez: coastal rowing
Rodríguez won silver in the women’s individual coastal rowing event on 23 September. The Paraguayan finished second in the final, behind Peru’s Pamela Noya, adding another medal to Team Paraguay’s tally.
Ana Paula Fernandes: canoeing
Fernandes won silver in the women’s C1 Parallel Slalom on 24 September. The Paraguayan finished second with a time of 80.42, behind Brazil’s Beatriz Da Motta.
Bronze medals
Gabriela Narváez: judo
Gabriela Narváez won bronze in the women’s under-48 kg judo competition on 19 September. The Paraguayan defeated Peru’s Carla León by ippon in the bronze-medal contest.
Paloma Narváez: judo
Paloma Narváez also won bronze on 19 September, competing in the women’s under-52 kg category. She defeated Panama’s Julieta Escobar by ippon to secure her first South American Games medal.
Las Yacaré: women’s rugby sevens
The Paraguayan women’s rugby sevens team won bronze after defeating Uruguay 22-12 in the third-place match. The victory secured a podium finish for Las Yacaré at Santa Fe 2026.
Marcelo Aguirre and Iván Pastore: men’s doubles table tennis
The Paraguayan pair won bronze in men’s doubles table tennis. Aguirre and Pastore secured a podium finish after reaching the semi-finals, where they were subsequently defeated by the Chilean pair.
Fiorella Gatti: women’s singles squash
Before winning gold alongside Luján Palacios in the doubles event, Gatti won bronze in women’s singles squash. The medal came on 22 September and was one of Paraguay’s first medals of the second week.
Marcelo Aguirre: men’s singles table tennis
Aguirre also reached the podium in men’s singles. The Paraguayan advanced to the semi-finals, where he lost to Argentina’s Horacio Cifuentes, securing the bronze medal.
Christopher Thiessen: long jump
Thiessen won bronze in the long jump with a distance of 7.70 metres, setting a new personal best. The Paraguayan finished behind Colombia’s Arnovis Dalmero and Uruguay’s Emiliano Lasa.
Andrea Gómez and Jaesson Garay: poomsae
The Paraguayan pair won bronze in the mixed pairs poomsae event.
Mixed taekwondo team: poomsae
Andrea Gómez, Jaesson Garay, Antonella Betharram, Rubén Arce and Taekyo Priore also won bronze in mixed team poomsae. Paraguay therefore added two more taekwondo medals during the day.
Sofía and Paula Rodas: women’s doubles badminton
Sisters Sofía and Paula Rodas won bronze in women’s doubles badminton. The Paraguayan pair reached the semi-finals before losing to a Brazilian pair, securing the bronze medal.
Paraguay closes Santa Fe 2026 in ninth place
Paraguay completed its participation with 37 medals. The final tally placed the country ninth in the overall medal table. Brazil finished at the top of the medal table, followed by Argentina and Colombia.
