Next Saturday on the beautiful Avenida Jose Larco circuit, which leads directly to the sea of Lima (PER) will begin the XVIII Copa Panamericana de Marcha Atletica with the two main races: those of 20km men (7:00 local time) and women (9:10 local time).
20km men
This test will be orphaned by Inaki Gomez (CAN) who has just some days ago announced his withdrawal from the races.
Inaki Gomez (7th on arrival) in the last edition of Arica 2015, together with Evan Dunfee (4th on arrival) and Bajamin Thorne (10th on arrival) was part of the Canada Team who had won the Cup in front of Colombia.
Even Andrew Chocho (ECU) is not part of the entry list and this takes away one of the possible winners from the hypothesis.
If the entry lists were also confirmed at the start, the men's race should be a fight between seven athletes:
- two from Colombia: Eider Arevalo (1:20:40 in 2017) and Manuel Soto (1:21:13 in 2017) both coming from the excellent performance in Rio Maior (POR) on April 1. In particular, Arevalo was very impressed on the land of Portugal both for the technique and management of the race.
- one from Brazil: Caio Bonfim (1:22:13 in 2017). In Arica 2015 Caio Bonfim fought up to the last meter with Erick Barrondo and was second for only 1" on the finish line
- three from Mexico: Omar Pineda (1:22:28 in 2017), Horacio Nava (1:22:50 in 2017) and Jorge Alejando Martinez (1:22:59 in 2017), both of whom after the Ciudad Juarez's good performance last 12.3.2017
- one of Canada: Evan Dunfee (1:21:22 in 2017) who should be the most tough opponent for Eider Arevalo. It might also be part of the game, Benjamin Thorne (CAN), but the result obtained in Monterrey, albeit in altitude, (1:24:52) puts it in a bit below.
Arevalo and Dunfee raced together on the distance of 20km in major events already eight times and the comparison is in full equality.
| Event | Date | Result | Dunfee | Arevalo | Result |
| | | | | | |
| Chihuahua Circuito Internacional de Marcha | 22.02.2014 | 1:23:31 | 5th | 1st | 1:23:07 |
| Taicang IAAF World Race Walking Cup | 04.05.2014 | 1:20:13 | 11th | - | DQ |
| La Coruña Gran Premio Cantones | 31.05.2014 | 1:21:52 | 8th | 4th | 1:21:28 |
| Toronto Pan American Games | 19.07.2015 | 1:23:06 | 1st | 5th | 1:25:50 |
| Beijing IAAF World Championships | 23.08.2015 | 1:21:48 | 12th | 7th | 1:21:13 |
| Roma IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships | 07.05.2016 | 1:21:26 | 16th | - | DNF |
| Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games | 12.08.2016 | 1:20:49 | 10th | 15th | 1:21:36 |
| Ciudad Juárez Circuito Internacional de Marcha | 12.03.2017 | 1:23:00 | 6th | 1st | 1:22:29 |
Evan Dunfee, the strogest opponed of Eider Arevalo (cover photo) raciong in Monterrey
20km women
If the entry lists were confirmed at the start of the race, the women's race should start with only one favorite Maria Guadalupe Gonzalez Romero (MEX) (1:28:59 in 2017)
Other positions on the podium could be a matter between Sandra Viviana Galvis (COL) (1:30:00 in 2017), Kimberly Garcia Leon (PER) (1:31:00 in 2017) and Sandra Lorena Arenas (COL) (1:31.13 in 2017) all three with brilliant results in Europe at Podebrady (CZE) and Rio Maior (POR).
The victory of Maria Guadalupe Gonzalez in Ciudad Juarez (MEX)