August 9, 2019

On Friday, July 26, the Pan American Games opened in Lima, the capital of Peru. The Pan Am Games, as they are frequently called, are a series of athletic contests patterned after the Olympic Games and sponsored by the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO). PASO is made up of Western Hemisphere nations. The games are held once every four years, usually the year before the summer Olympics. Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra led the opening ceremonies at the Estadio Nacional del Perú in central Lima.

Lima, Peru, is hosting the 2019 Pan American Games from July 26 through August 11. Credit: © Pan American Sports Organization

The 2019 Pan Am Games include more than 6,000 athletes from 41 countries and territories of the Americas (all areas except French Guiana, Greenland, and Saint-Pierre and Miquelon). More than 400 events in 39 sports ranging from archery to wrestling are taking place throughout Lima. The gymnastics and track and field competitions have drawn big crowds, as did the baseball (won by Puerto Rico) and men’s basketball (won by Argentina) tournaments. The most popular event, however, will be showcased tomorrow, August 10, as Argentina and Honduras square off in the men’s soccer (fútbol) gold medal final at Lima’s San Marcos Stadium.

The Pan Am Games wrap up with closing ceremonies on Sunday, August 11. From August 23 to September 1, Lima will also host the Parapan American Games for athletes with a variety of physical limitations.

The Pan American Games were inaugurated after World War II (1939-1945) by the Pan American Sports Congress, which became PASO in 1967, as a way to increase good will among the countries of the Americas. The first Pan American Games were held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1951. Santiago, Chile, will host the next Pan Am Games in 2023.