25 – 26.07.2026 | Valparaíso, Chile. The Chilean Open 2026 almost didn’t happen. Weeks before the event, the organizing team faced one of the most disruptive scenarios any competition host can encounter: the potential closure of their Valparaíso venue, Gimnasio Seven. They navigated the situation, held the location, and went ahead as planned. What followed across two full days was described by competing athletes as, by far, the best Streetlifting event ever held in Chile. The irony is fitting: the competition that nearly fell apart became the one that set the standard.
Event Overview
Both days ran from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, with a team of approximately 31 people covering every aspect of the event: 4 organizers, 5 spotters, 2 head judges, 5 judges, 10 representatives from sponsoring partners, 3 on the streaming crew, 1 venue administrator, and 1 additional task coordinator.
The only disruption of the weekend came at the very start: a 30-minute delay in the opening flight, caused by the time needed to fully configure the FinalRep platform interface for the first time. The situation was managed thanks to the proactive preparation of judge and athlete Christian Gajardo, who had studied the platform in advance and guided the team through the setup quickly enough to keep the rest of the day on schedule.
With 47 athletes registered, the event fell just short of its initial target of 55, but the field that showed up delivered performances that more than compensated for the difference in numbers.
Highlights and Athletes Performance
The story of the women’s division belonged to Camila Valenzuela in the -57kg category, who posted the strongest squat among all female athletes at the competition with a 152.5kg squat, a number that drew strong reactions from the crowd and set the tone for what the women’s field was capable of at this level.
Matías Abarca was the dominant force in the -66kg class, claiming the category title with a 130kg dip and a 200kg squat, two lifts that underlined the depth of his all-around capability and secured his place at the top of one of the most competitive men’s categories of the weekend.
The moment the crowd had been waiting for came in the -87kg category, where a fierce rivalry between Thomas Cabezas and Nahuel Terzano produced the most electric atmosphere of the entire competition. Their battle ran deep into the squat attempts, generating the kind of tension and collective energy that defines memorable competition days. Luis Vargas from Venezuela completed the podium in third place, overcoming multiple failed attempts earlier in the day with a resilience that earned him a standing ovation from the audience. Vicente Carter also competed in this class, delivering a remarkable performance for such a young athlete and signalling clearly that his name will be heard again in Chilean Streetlifting.
In the -73kg category, Joaquín Moris Petit made every weight look comfortably within his range on the way to a third-place finish, in a tightly contested flight that saw Bastián Tello claim second. Their battle was one of the cleanest technical displays of the weekend.
Benjamín Antonio Escobar stood out in the -101kg class, delivering a performance that reflected his experience and competitive pedigree and further elevated the standard of the men’s heavier categories.
Gonzalo Solís deserves a specific mention: competing through significant personal difficulties, his commitment to the platform was total. The organizers highlighted his performance as one of the most meaningful moments of the event, a reminder that what athletes carry into competition is often far more than just a training plan.
Organizational Insights
The Chilean Open met all of its objectives. The judging standard received particular praise from athletes, who specifically noted the strictness and impartiality of the panel as something that set this event apart from previous Chilean competitions. The fact that Chilean and Argentine athletes competed side by side without any hint of favoritism from the judging table was highlighted independently by multiple people.
The organizing team’s ambitions extend well beyond the current edition. Seven and FinalRep Chile have explicitly positioned themselves as candidates to host the 2028 AMERICS, a goal that reflects the level of investment they are prepared to make in infrastructure, production, and event quality. For future editions, the priorities are improved stage setup and special effects, better ticket presale strategy, and more detailed FinalRep platform tutorials for first-time host teams.
Community Response & Future Outlook
Athlete feedback was enthusiastic across the board. Antonia Álvarez captured it well:
„Ufff, definitely one of the best All4 experiences. Everything worked perfectly with the loaders, spotters, and judges. What an incredible organization team!“
Argentine athlete Nahuel Terzano added a cross-border perspective that speaks to the wider significance of the event:
„For most of us, it was our first time competing there. We really want to highlight how different the welcome could have been, but it was actually the complete opposite. You’re all absolute beasts. You didn’t even let us take a single first place!“
That last line is the clearest possible summary of what the Chilean Open 2026 delivered: a competition where the hosts were excellent both as organizers and as athletes, and where everyone left with something to work toward.
Conclusion
The Chilean Open 2026 was a competition that fought to exist and then proved why it had to. New talents emerged, records were pushed, and the bar for Chilean Streetlifting was raised higher than it had ever been. With the 2028 AMERICS firmly in their sights, the team behind this event has made their intentions clear.
Valparaíso delivered. And it’s just getting started.
We’re proud to be part of this journey. Until next time — Let’s keep pushing the limits together!
- Event Host: @final_rep_chile @gimnasioseven
- Main Athletes Involved: @vzcamii, @mats_abarca, @nahuel_terzano, @kitito.tc, @bastiantello
- Main Sponsors Involved: @gimnasioseven, @underarmour, @redbull, @frutotos, @powernutrition_cl
— Your FinalRep Team 
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