Paola Pérez was one of three home winners, earning a third Olympic appearance at the Pan American Walking Cup in Ecuador ©Getty Images

Hosts Ecuador won three of the six titles contested in the Pan American Walking Cup, which was held in Guayaquil in tribute to the recently deceased coach Luis Chocho.

Meanwhile Colombia’s Eider Arévalo, 20 kilometres gold medallist at the 2017 World Championships in London, was successful again at this distance.

Jhonatan Amores earned Ecuador’s first gold of the day in the men’s 50km, finishing well clear in 4hr 4min 52sec ahead of two Mexicans, Jair Palma, who clocked 4:06:20, and Leyver Ojeda, who finished in 4:09:46.

The second home gold came in the women's 35km, which was being contested for the first time ever in a continental event, as Nathaly León won in 2:54:44.

She was followed home by Mexico’s Libertad Morales, who was timed at 3:19:40, and the Bolivian walker Janneth Mamani, who recorded 3:19:42.

Arévalo and Brazil’s Caio Bonfim, fourth in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, fought a fierce duel for first place in the men's 20km, with the Colombian eventually finishing just five seconds ahead in 1:21:36.

Bronze went to the Ecuadorian David Hurtado in 1:21:47.

There was disappointment for favoured home walker Glenda Morejón, who was unable to start the women's 20km.

Colombia’s 2017 world champion Eider Arévalo won a highly competitive men's 20km event at the Pan American Race Walking Cup at Guayaquil in Ecuador ©Getty Images
Colombia’s 2017 world champion Eider Arévalo won a highly competitive men's 20km event at the Pan American Race Walking Cup at Guayaquil in Ecuador ©Getty Images

In her absence Ecuador's Paola Pérez and Karla Jaramillo qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games as they finished respectively first and second in 1:30:37 and 1:31:53.

For the 31-year-old Pérez, Pan American bronze medallist in 2015 and 2019, it meant an appearance at a third successive Olympics. 

Brazil’s Viviane Santana was third in 1:34:56.

Santana’s compatriot Gabriela De Souza Muniz took top place on the podium after the women’s youth 10km, setting a new Brazilian record of 47 min 49.17sec.

She was followed home by Mexico’s Elizabeth Ramos in 47:56.11 and the Guatemalan walker Yaquelin Teletor in 50:35.77.

The Pan American Walking Cup was held on a two-kilometre circuit on Paseo El Parque avenue in Guayaquil, which was certified by World Athletics to homologate records and minimum marks.

"We are satisfied to have been able to fulfil this first commitment on the Association of Panamerican Athletics (APA) calendar, despite the adverse circumstances imposed by the pandemic," said Marcos Oviedo, the APA President.

"Now we focus all our energies on the next event, the Pan American Youth Games in Cali, and finally the Pan American Under-20 Championship in Santiago."