Hosts claim first gold at Rio games

Mexico's Iridia Salazar, left, fights Canada's Shannon Condie during the women's taekwondo 57kg final at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday. PHOTO: AP

Brazil's Diogo Silva defeated Peru's Peter Lopez to win taekwondo's 68kg men's title on Sunday, giving the host nation its first gold medal in the Rio Pan American Games.

The US continued to increase its medal total, and Brazil's men's soccer team debuted with a 3-0 win over Honduras.

Supported by a vibrant crowd at the Riocentro complex, Silva exhorted the crowd on a victory lap.

"It's ours, it's ours," Silva yelled with the Brazilian flag on his back.

Silva couldn't hold back tears at the podium as the crowd sang the national anthem.

The gold came along with six silver medals and five bronze for Brazil so far.

Andy Potts won the US' first gold of the day and secured a spot for his country in next year's Beijing Olympics by winning the men's triathlon on Copacabana beach.

Potts swam 1.5km, rode his bike 40km and ran 10km in 1 hour, 52 minutes, 31 seconds.

Julie Ertel won the women's event in 1:20:47 and also earned an Olympic qualifying spot for the US next year.

Argentina won its first gold medal with Gabriela Diaz in the women's BMX cycling, edging Jaqueline Mourao of Brazil and Kimmy Diquez of Venezuela.

In the men's BMX event, Jason Richardson of the US won gold.

In the women's cycling individual time trial, Anne Samplonius of Canada beat Alessandra Grassi of Mexico and Clemilda Fernandes Silva of Brazil to claim the title.

In weightlifting, Yudelquis Contreras of the Dominican Republic won the 53kg women's class, lifting 207kg to break the Pan American record.

Iridia Salazar beat Canada's Shannon Condie in the women's 57kg taekwondo final to earn Mexico its third gold in Rio.

The US also won the equestrian team dressage, giving it the medals table lead with 11 gold, five of which came on Saturday, the first full day of competition.