2023 is set to be hot with major sporting events. From the World Aquatics Championships to the Women’s World Cup, the year is packed with must-see competitions. Yet one of the most anticipated meetings that have gained in popularity over the past few years is the Pan American Games.
A huge sporting championship played out over a range of disciplines, it takes place every four years, exactly one year before the Olympics. Below, we give the history of this exciting event.
What Games Are Included?
The range of sports included at the games is vast, with around five thousand athletes in attendance at any one game. Classics like athletics, swimming, and gymnastics are there. Yet not all are traditional, and not all are included in the Olympic schedule. In 2019, surfing and bodybuilding were added to the roster. Others include popular geographical sports such as Basque Pelota. This is a group of racquet sports favoured in Latin American countries and some areas of Europe and the US.
Inevitably, with such a huge attraction, a range of economic benefits are bestowed on the country hosting and those participating. Organized by Panam Sports, the last games generated an income of $19.9 million. While this did include money from sponsorship, the figure only covered the money generated by the organization itself. It did not include money made through local tourism, the impact on businesses, or revenue for online betting. As iGaming and online sportsbooks become more available across the Americas, this revenue will only increase. With the use of bonuses to entice new players, the revenue generated could be huge. Thus, it is safe to say the games are a massive financial boost for numerous related sectors.
Nations and Host Countries
Participants in the games come from across the north, south, and central regions of America. At the last games, held in Lima, Peru, a total of thirty-five countries and six territories took part. From huge nations like the US and Brazil to small Caribbean islands such as Barbados, it is a great place to see some of the best athletes in the world before they head onto the Olympics.
The first event took place in 1951 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Host nations get chosen six years in advance, so after this year’s celebrations in Santiago, Chile, the next round of games will be in 2027 and take place in Barranquilla, Columbia.
Canada itself has a great history of hosting the games. It has done so three times, rivalled only in appearances by Mexico. Held once in Toronto and twice in Winnipeg, it makes it only one of two cities along with Mexico City to host twice.
Canada at the Pan American Games
Canada has always done well at the Pan-American Games. Only the United States and Cuba have beaten them in the gold medal stakes, and they currently have 491 gold medals in total. This is backed up by a healthy tally of 721 silver medals and 855 bronze.
Of course, in the one Winter Pan American Games tournament that took place, Canada came second in the gold medal tally. Getting two, they were beaten only by the US on four.
In 2023, there will also be a host of outstanding athletes from the country to keep an eye on. Derek Drouin, competing in the high jump, is sure to be in contention on the athletics field. Currently, he is the reigning Olympic and World Champion in the discipline. At the 2015 Toronto games, on home turf, he claimed the gold medal after previously clearing the Canadian high jump record. Though moving on in years, he shows no sign of slowing down and is a sure-fire contender for a medal in 2023.
Not the only outstanding athletics contender, Andre De Grasse also made his name around 2015 in 100 and 200-metre sprint events. He claimed gold in both at the Pan American Games in the same year. At only 22 years of age, this could be the year he hits his stride on the world stage.
Penny Oleksiak is holding the flag for the women’s games as one of the world’s best freestyle and butterfly swimmers. She has the record for a Canadian athlete at the Olympics, as she won four medals in Rio. She also has set country records for her butterfly and freestyle 100m. Best of all, she is still barely in her twenties, so is set to make huge improvements.
The games in 2023 will take place between October 20th and November 5th, 2023. Held in Santiago, Chile, they will be a spectacle you should not miss.
