X-Nico

23 unusual facts about Pan American Games


1975–76 Phoenix Suns season

The collegiate squad, who would go on to win the gold medal at the 1975 Pan American Games, narrowly defeated the Suns 72–70 off a last second layup from future NBA champion Johnny Davis.

Aimee Ruiz

Ruiz played in the 2012 Pan American Games, playing doubles with Rhonda Rajsich and earned silver medals in the individual and team events.

Ana Vasconcelos

Ana Carolina Vasconcelos (born November 7, 1981 in Brasília, DF) is a female water polo player from Brazil, who won the bronze medal with the Brazil women's national water polo team at the 2003 Pan American Games.

Andrés Manzanillo

Andrés Manzanillo (born August 1, 1977) is a volleyball player from Venezuela, who won the gold medal with the men's national team at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

AnnMaria De Mars

De Mars enjoyed more success in 1983, including the Pan American Games and US Senior Nationals, and in 1984, winning the Austrian Open, Canada Cup (now known as the "Rendezvous"), and the US Senior Nationals.

Brody Blair

Blair won a bronze medal at the 2011 Pan American Games in the middleweight division.

Chile men's national handball team

Kits for the Pan American Games Guadalajara 2011.

Danys Báez

Báez defected from the Cuban national team at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada.

Elliott Castro

Castro is renowned for being a commentator in major sports events in Puerto Rico as well as those related to Puerto Rican athletes such as the Olympics, the Pan American Games, and the Central American and Caribbean Games.

Fox 40

Foxcroft introduced the Fox 40 whistle to referees at the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Frank Woon-a-tai

Woon-A-Tai first gained international prominence when he won the Pan American kata championship in 1978.

Gustavo Valderrama

Gustavo Valderrama (born July 31, 1977 in Zulia State) is a volleyball player from Venezuela, who won the gold medal with the men's national team at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Juan Pachot

Juan Pachot represented Puerto Rico at the Pan American games, the world championship of softball and the Central American and Caribbean games, the latter tournament where he won three batting titles and was voted MVP twice.

Justin Orenduff

He pitched for Team U.S.A. during the summer of 2003 in the Pan American Games.

Justin Verlander

Verlander pitched for the USA national baseball team in 2003 and helped the USA to a silver medal in the Pan American Games.

Margie Goldstein-Engle

At the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, she won a silver medal with the U.S. jumping team (riding Alvaretto).

Mike Thibault

Contemporaneously, Thibault worked for USA Basketball as a coach for the United States national team, leading the national side to a gold medal at the 1993 FIBA World Championship qualifying tournament and a silver medal at the 1995 Pan American Games.

Nuris Arias

Nuris Arias Doñé (born May 20, 1973 in San Cristobal) is a female volleyball player from the Dominican Republic, who won the gold medal with the women's national team at the 2003 Pan American Games in her home town Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Ossie Chavarria

He has also umpired numerous international events, including the 1992 Olympics, the Baseball World Cup, Pan American Games and Intercontinental Cup.

Pablo Barzola

In 2003, Barzola was selected to play for Argentina in the Pan American Games.

Pan American Games

Lake Placid, New York tried to organize Winter Games in 1959 but, again, not enough countries expressed interest.

Reggie Smith

Smith became involved with USA Baseball in 1999 as hitting coach on the 1999 Professional Team at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada (Silver, Olympic qualifiers).

Trinidad and Tobago Karate Union

In the 2010 games a silver was captured by Kwame Kinsale in the +84 kg kumite division which then qualified him for the Pan American Games in 2011, a first for Trinidad and Tobago karate.


Abel González Chávez

In 1971, along with Édgar Perea, Fabio Poveda, Jorge Humberto Klee, Chaco Senior and Cheíto Feliciano, he created the Panamericana de la Costa radio station (from the Sutatenza radio station) during the Pan American Games in Cali to broadcast the games for the Colombian Caribbean region.

Adauto Domingues

Adauto Domingues (born 20 May 1961 in São Caetano do Sul) is a retired middle-distance runner from Brazil, who twice won the gold medal in the men's 3.000 metres steeplechase at the Pan American Games: in 1987 and 1991.

Alfredo Duvergel

At the Pan American Games in Mar del Plata, he captured the gold medal in his division.

Aruba at the Pan American Games

As of the last Pan American Games in 2007, Aruba is one of two nations not to win a medal at the Pan American Games, the other countries being the British Virgin Islands.

Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's high jump

The top jumper of the previous year, world record holder and winner of the Pan American Games, was Pat Matzdorf from the United States.

Carmelita Correa

She made her senior international debut in 2011 and placed fifth at the 2011 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics and tenth at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara.

Charles Sousa

He was the province's Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and Minister Responsible for the 2015 Pan and Para Pan American Games in the Cabinet of Premier Dalton McGuinty until November 9, 2012 when he resigned in order to enter the Liberal Party's leadership election.

Chicago Yacht Club

Among those who have sailed for the club is Robert Halperin, who won an Olympic bronze medal in 1960 and a Pan American Games gold medal in 1963 in yachting, and who was also a football player at Notre Dame, Wisconsin, and in the NFL, one of Chicago's most-decorated World War II heroes, and Chairman of Commercial Light Co.

Chuck Merriman

In 1995 Merriman was appointed Head Coach for the United States National Karate Team for the Olympic Sanctioned XII Pan American Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Curt Harnett

As well, Harnett has three medals from the Commonwealth Games and three medals from the Pan American Games He held the world record for the 200 metre time trial for 11 years, bested in 2006 by Dutchman Theo Bos.

Dan Gill

Gill became a member of the U.S. National Team in 2003 and was a part of the bronze-medal winning team at Pan American Games that year.

Dayton Ballet

In 1988, the company appeared on national television while performing in the opening ceremonies of the Pan American Games.

Edinanci Silva

Edinanci Fernandes da Silva (born August 23, 1976 in Sousa, Paraíba) is a judoka from Brazil, who won the gold medal in the half heavyweight division (– 78 kg) at the Pan American Games.

Handball at the South American Games

In addition to crowning the handball champions of the South American Games, the tournament also serves as a qualifying tournament for the Pan American Games.

Imad Baba

In 1995, Baba again played with the U.S., this time as part of the U-23 national team at the Pan American Games.

Jim M. Courtright

Following the Olympics Courtright competed in the 1937 Pan-American Exposition Games (a precursor to the Pan American Games) in Dallas, Texas where he captured the gold medal in the javelin throw.

José Cotto

In 1995, he participated at the Pan American Games in Mar del Plata, Argentina, and won a silver medal.

Kervin Piñerua

He represented his country again in the Pan American Games finishing 8th and the 2011 South American Championship winning the Bronze Medal and the award for "Best Server".

Laura Fenton

Fenton played in two Pan American Games.

Mark Talbott

He captained the first US team to compete in the Pan American Games in 1995, earned the Sharif Khan Award for Sportsmanship in 1991, and won the United States Squash Racquets Association (USSRA) President's Cup in 1989.

Njisane Phillip

: Pan American Games

Osvaldo Suárez

Juan Osvaldo Roberto Suárez (born March 17, 1934 in Wilde) is a long-distance runner from Argentina who won four gold medals at the Pan American Games.

Panama at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Eileen Coparropa was the only Panamanian swimmer to advance to a semifinal, accomplishing that feat in an event in which she was twice a Pan American Games medalist.

Sergio Vigil

Besides that, Vigil coached Las Leonas to gold medals at the 2002 Women's Hockey World Cup, 2001 Champions Trophy and the 1999 Pan American Games.

Serika Guluma

:Pan American Games

Theodore O'Connor

Ridden by Olympian Karen O'Connor, he performed exceedingly well at such events as the Rolex Kentucky Three Day and the Pan American Games.

Tim Schulz

In 1983, he was a part of the U.S. team which finished 0-2-1 at the Pan American Games.

Tom Lingenfelter

An active athlete, Lingenfelter won a bronze medal in indoor sprinting at the National Masters, was Pennsylvania's champion indoor sprinter, was a Keystone Games medalist in field hockey and shooting, and won a bronze medal at the Pan American Games as a member of the United States' Olympic field hockey team.

Valerie Gotay

She was invited to compete in the British Open and in 2007 was part of the United States team at the Pan American Games.

Venezuela national baseball team

===Pan American Games===

Victor Bisbal

His brotherGerardo Bisbal is also a boxer and National Champ of Puerto Rico, bronze medallist in 2002 in 81 kg, 2006 in +91 kg and 2010 gold medallist Central American and Caribbean Games, having participated in 2003 in 91 kg and 2007 in +91 kg Pan American Games.

Water polo at the 2011 Pan American Games – Men's tournament

The men's tournament of water polo at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico will take place from October 23 to October 29, when the United States defeated Canada 7–3 for the gold medal.

Water polo at the 2011 Pan American Games – Women's tournament

The women's tournament of water polo at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico will take place from October 23 to October 28, when the United States defeated Canada 27–26 in a penalty shootout for the gold medal.

William Naranjo

William de Jesús Naranjo Jaramillo (born August 18, 1978 in Riosucio, Caldas) is a male long-distance runner from Colombia, who twice represented his native country at the Pan American Games (2003 and 2007).

Wu Jiani

Along with their daughter, Wu and Li have been the coaches for several elite athletes, including the Caquatto sisters: World Silver Medalist Mackenzie Caquatto and Pan American Games triple Gold Medalist Bridgette Caquatto.