Pan American Games

The Pan American Games, known as the Pan Am Games, is a continental multi-sport event in the Americas. It started in 1951. Athletes from all over the Americas come together to compete in many summer sports.

The Games happen every four years. They are always held the year before the Summer Olympics. This makes them the second-oldest continental games in the world.

The most recent Games were the XIX Pan American Games in Santiago. They took place from 20 October to 5 November 2023. The next Games, the XX Pan American Games, will be in 2027. Since 2007, host cities have also held the Parapan American Games for athletes with physical disabilities. These Games happen right after the main Games.

Over 5,000 athletes compete in the Pan American Games. They compete in 36 sports and nearly 400 events. Winners get gold, silver, and bronze medals, like in the Olympics. The Games have special traditions, such as a flag, a torch, and opening and closing ceremonies.

History

The idea of holding Pan American Games started in 1932 at the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Latin American representatives suggested a competition for all countries in the Americas. Early games were held in Dallas in 1937 with sports like athletics, boxing, and wrestling.

The first official Pan American Games were held in Buenos Aires in 1951 after being delayed by World War II. The games have been held every four years since then. The games include a special village to house athletes and officials during the competition. Some places like Puerto Rico and Bermuda can also compete even if they are not fully independent countries.

Winter Pan American Games

Main article: 1990 Winter Pan American Games

There have been attempts to hold Winter Pan American Games, but they have faced challenges. Early plans were dropped due to lack of interest. In 1990, the first Winter Games were held in Argentina, but weather problems limited the events. Later attempts to hold more Winter Games were cancelled.

Junior Pan American Games

Main article: Junior Pan American Games

In 2019, the Junior Pan American Games were created for athletes under 21 years old. The first games were held in Cali, Colombia. The next Junior Pan American Games will be in Asunción, Paraguay in 2025.

Pan American Sports Organization

Main article: Panam Sports

The Pan American Games bring together athletes from countries across the Americas to compete in many different sports every four years, just before the Summer Olympics. The games are organized by a group called the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO). PASO picks the host city, plans the games, and updates the sports included.

The movement has three main parts: International Federations, which are groups that govern each sport around the world; National Olympic Committees, which represent each country; and Organizing Committees, which plan each specific games event and then dissolve after the games end. The official languages of the games are Spanish and English, with the host country's language also used when needed.

Symbols

The Pan American Games use special symbols to show important ideas. The flag has a white background with a special logo. Since 1988, it also shows the Olympic Rings to show it is connected to the Olympics. The flag is raised at every Games celebration.

Like the Olympic flame, the Pan American Games flame is lit before the Games start. The flame was first lit in Greece. Later, it was lit in ceremonies inspired by ancient traditions in Mexico. Sometimes, it was lit in other ways, like in Brazil in 1963. An elder then lights the torch for the relay, which carries the flame to the main stadium for the opening ceremony. Since 2011, the flame stays in the stadium where the sports happen during the Games.

The Games also have a mascot, an animal or figure from the host country's culture, to help promote the Games. The most recent mascot was Fiu, a colorful bird from Santiago de Chile.

Ceremonies

The opening ceremony of the Pan American Games is a special event that starts the games. Since 2007, it usually starts with the host country's anthem. Athletes from each country march into the stadium. Argentina always enters first to honor the games' history, just like Greece does in the Olympic Games. The athletes then enter in alphabetical order, with the host country’s athletes coming last. After speeches and the raising of flags, the host country shows performances of music, singing, dance, and theater that represent its culture. The ceremony ends when a famous athlete from the host country lights a special flame in the stadium.

The closing ceremony happens after all the sports events are finished. Flag-bearers and athletes enter the stadium together. The flags of the current host country and the next host country are raised, and leaders give closing speeches. The special games flame is put out, and a flag is passed to the city that will host the next games. The next host country then gives a short performance to introduce itself.

Sports

Key:   = Discontinued

Medals

Further information: Category:Pan American Games medalists and All-time Pan American Games medal table

Gold medal from the 2015 Pan American Games

Silver medal from the 2015 Pan American Games

Bronze medal from the 2015 Pan American Games

In the Pan American Games, athletes or teams who finish in the top three places in each event get medals. The first-place winners get gold medals, second place gets silver medals, and third place gets bronze medals. In some sports like boxing, there may not be an official third-place winner, so both athletes who lose in the semifinals get bronze medals. While the Pan American Sports Organization does not keep official records of medals, countries and the media often count medals to show how well each country did.

The top ten nations in the history of the Pan American Games (not counting medals from the Winter Pan American Games) are:

List of Pan American Games

The Pan American Games have been hosted by 17 cities in 11 countries. Mexico and Canada have each hosted the Games three times, more than any other nation. Only Winnipeg and Mexico City have hosted the Games twice. The city of Lima, Peru, hosted the Games in 2019 and will host them again in 2027, making it the third city to host the Games twice.

Choosing a host city for the Pan American Games usually happens six or seven years before the Games. Cities or regions can apply to host the Games since 2024. Interested cities send their proposals to their country’s National Olympic Committee, which decides whether to support them. If a country has more than one city applying, the committee usually picks one to represent the country. The chosen cities then fill out a detailed questionnaire to show they can follow the rules and organize the Games well.

An expert group from PanAm Sports reviews these applications and picks a few cities to move to the next stage. These cities must provide more detailed plans and are visited by a commission that checks their plans and locations. The commission reports back one month before the final decision. The members of PanAm Sports then vote to choose the host city, and the chosen city signs an agreement to officially become the host.

Participating nations

As of the 2023 edition, 35 countries and six territories take part in the Pan American Games. Their National Olympic Committee is recognized by the Pan American Sports Organization.

•  Antigua and Barbuda
•  Argentina
•  Aruba
•  Bahamas
•  Barbados
•  Belize
•  Bermuda
•  Bolivia
•  Brazil
•  British Virgin Islands
•  Canada
•  Cayman Islands
•  Chile
•  Colombia
•  Costa Rica
•  Cuba
•  Dominica
•  Dominican Republic
•  Ecuador
•  El Salvador
•  Grenada
•  Guatemala
•  Guyana
•  Haiti
•  Honduras
•  Jamaica
•  Mexico
•  Nicaragua
•  Panama
•  Paraguay
•  Peru
•  Puerto Rico
•  Saint Kitts and Nevis
•  Saint Lucia
•  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
•  Suriname
•  Trinidad and Tobago
•  United States
•  Uruguay
•  Venezuela
•  Virgin Islands