Cantillo lifted 195 kilograms in the Carioca Arena 1 in the Barra de Tijuca Olympic Park before dedicating his victory to his eight-year-old daughter Liliana.

“I said I was going to win it for her,” said the 40-year-old reigning Parapan American Games champion.

He his now targeting a first Paralympic medal after finishing sixth at Beijing 2008 and fourth at London 2012. 

“I am thinking about ratifying my place in the rankings, which will need to be about fifth [to guarantee qualification]," he added.

"I have a Brazilian rival who is doing very well, so I have be careful."

The Brazilian in question, Evânio Rodrigues, was not able to overcome Cantillo on home turf, but did claim the silver medal with 193kg before two narrow failures at 197kg.

Ahmed Shafik of United States took the bronze medal with 178kg.

On a day of Latin American domination, Cuba's Jesus Drake Veja set a personal best of 197kg to win the men's under 88kg division, getting the better of Colombia's Francisco Palomeque Palacios and Brazil's Rodrigo Marques, who lifted 187kg and 186kg respectively.

Argentina's Jose David Coronel secured under 65kg honours with a lift of 130kg.

Takashi Jo of Japan took the silver medal with 126kg while Jose Manuel Abud Coronado claimed Dominican Republic bronze with 115kg.

El Salvador's Herbert Enrique Aceituno Lopez, meanwhile, secured the day's other gold medal in the under 72kg category with 145kg, beating the Chilean pair of Sebastian Castro and Amaro Fica, who lifted respective hauls of 130 and 115kg.

Action is due to conclude tomorrow with the men's under 97kg and 107 and over 107kg divisions as well as the women's under 67, 79 and 86 and over 86kg categories.