Ecuadorian swimmer David Farinango won Ecuador's first medal of the XIII South American Games Santa Fe 2026, taking silver in the men's 10 kilometre open water swimming event on Sunday, September 13.
The race was held at the Parque del Sur lake in Argentina. Farinango, who is from the Ecuadorian province of El Oro, finished the course in 1 hour, 47 minutes and 57.2 seconds in a tightly contested finish.
Brazil's Matheus de Freitas took gold with a time of 1 hour, 47 minutes and 53.5 seconds, just 3.7 seconds ahead of Farinango. Compatriot Victor Rodriguez completed the podium in 1 hour, 48 minutes and 4.1 seconds.
Ecuador's First Medal of the Games
The silver marked Ecuador's first medal of this edition of the South American Games. The 10 kilometre open water event took place on a course specially prepared at the Parque del Sur lake and forms part of the official Games program, bringing together South America's leading open water specialists.
A Step Toward the Pan American Games
Beyond the medal, the result carries weight for Farinango's broader sporting cycle. The top two finishers in each category of the open water event earn qualification spots for their national Olympic committees at the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima, meaning his second place finish also marks an important step in his international path.
Farinango, 25, is aiming to remain among the top open water swimmers in his current competitive cycle. In 2025 he had already shone at the Bolivarian Games in Lima, where he won gold in the 5 kilometre event and silver in the 10 kilometre event.
About the Santa Fe 2026 Games
The XIII South American Games Santa Fe 2026 run from September 12 to 26 across the Argentine cities of Santa Fe, Rosario and Rafaela, bringing together more than 4,000 athletes from fifteen countries competing in 43 sports.
