Julie O’Neill Dussliere has been appointed as the new President of the Americas Paralympic Committee ©APC/Manuel Campo

Julie O'Neill Dussliere has been appointed as the new President of the Americas Paralympic Committee (APC) at the body's Extraordinary General Assembly in Peru's capital Lima.

Julio Cesar Avila Sarria was the sole candidate standing for election as President, but the Colombian failed to secure the majority of the votes needed, with eight against him compared to six in his favour.

This meant the new APC President had to be selected from within the Executive Committee, with American O'Neill Dussliere appointed.

She will serve until the next APC General Assembly, which is set to take place next year in Lima. 

"I am looking forward to working with both the membership and the APC Executive Committee to ensure the region continues to follow a path of sustained growth," O'Neill Dussliere said.

"Next year we have a massive opportunity for further growing the profile of Para-sports and building a more inclusive region with the biggest Parapan American Games to date taking place in Lima.

"I am sure we will grab this chance with both hands and achieve our goal of opening up Para-sports to a larger community and leaving a lasting legacy."

Furthermore, the APC Executive Committee has appointed Nicaragua's Dionicio Zeledon as the new member at large.

This needs to be ratified at the APC's 2019 General Assembly.

If it is, Zeledon will join Ecuador's Bayron Lopez and Colombia's Pedro Mejia as members at large.

Jose Luis Campo was serving as APC President until his sudden passing in October ©IPC
Jose Luis Campo was serving as APC President until his sudden passing in October ©IPC

Cuba's Eduardo Montenegro had been appointed APC interim President after the passing of Jose Luis Campo in October 2017.

Campo was elected APC founding President in 1997 and served two terms until 2005, when he was replaced by Brazil's Andrew Parsons, the current International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President.

Colombia's Octavio Londono was President from 2009 to 2013.

Campo was elected again in 2013 and served as President until 2017, when he was re-elected.

"I want to pay tribute to the magnificent man that Jose Luis Campo was," O'Neill Dussliere said.

"We would not be at this stage of development without his hard work from the last two decades.

"He is a big figure in the region and we will make sure to build on his legacy to fulfil our common vision of making a stronger region."

Campo suffered a heart attack while participating in a fundraising walk and run event in Mar del Plata in Argentina.

The event was aimed at raising funds for organisations fighting children’s cancer.

The APC Executive Committee also includes athletes' representative Ileana Rodriguez of the United States.