2019 Pan American Games in Peru: Schedule, highlights, athletes to watch
LIMA, Peru — The Pan American Games begin in earnest Saturday with a full schedule after the event was officially opened Friday evening to a packed Estadio Nacional.
A condensed form of hoops takes the next step in its Olympic-level development Saturday with the debut of 3×3 basketball at the 2019 Pan American Games.
American sprinter Justin Gatlin is skipping the Pan American Games in Lima to focus on the track and field world championships in Doha, Qatar.
A look at 15 athletes expected to shine in Lima who have already made a name for themselves, and others who are trying to do so with an eye toward the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The one-year countdown to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo began Wednesday, but fans in the Americas can already get a sneak peek at some of the big names who will participate beginning this week at the Pan American Games in Peru.
Lima 2019 will light its torch on Friday, offering a modern touch to its lineup with new sports such as bodybuilding and surfing to go with the usual slate of Olympic-style competitions. Two offerings new to the Olympic lineup — 3×3 basketball and surfing — will get a test run in Lima.
The Games feature 39 sports and 61 disciplines. A total of 6,680 athletes from 41 delegations are expected to compete. The U.S. is sending 643 athletes, ranging in age from 15-year-old archer Casey Kaufhold to sailor Ian Jones, 57. The American group also consists of 91 Olympians, 34 of whom have won medals, including swimmer Nathan Adrian.
A look at what’s to come over the next two weeks (you can find the complete Lima 2019 schedule and results here):
Jump to: Schedule | Host | Venues | Keep an eye on… | Things to know| Highlights | More coverage
Events began Wednesday with beach volleyball and handball. Opening ceremonies are Friday evening, featuring Puerto Rican artist Luis Fonsi (“Despacito”). The Games run through Aug. 11. ESPNU and ESPN Deportes (Spanish) will televise the Games in the U.S. See the TV/stream programming schedule here.
Catch all the action from the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, on ESPNU, ESPN Deportes and ESPN3 on the ESPN App.
The Peruvian capital — the third-largest city in the Americas with a population of more than 9 million — was awarded the 2019 Pan American Games six years ago. Lima, with its reputation for good weather and good food, is located in the central part of Peru and sits on the coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It is hosting the Pan Am Games for the first time.
Peru has hosted other major sporting events, including six Copa America soccer tournaments, the FIFA U17 World Cup in 2005 and the Women’s Volleyball World Championships in 1982.
The capital’s Estadio Nacional will open and close the Pan American Games, with the other venues divided among six clusters in and around Lima.
The Escuela Militar de Chorrillos, a venue located in a military school, will host the new bodybuilding discipline, as well as modern pentathlon and weightlifting.
The beach known as Punta Rocas, a popular surfing destination in the Punta Negra district about an hour south of the capital, will host the sport. The venue has a capacity for 1,200 spectators.
Piccolo Clemente, 2019 Pan Am surfing competitor, tells how his love for the sport is linked to the Peruvian fishing tradition of “caballitos de totora.”
Bodybuilding, 3×3 basketball and surfing make their Pan American Games debuts. The last two will be featured in the Tokyo lineup.
While baseball and softball return to the Olympics next year, men’s softball — back after a 16-year absence from the Pan Ams — will grab the spotlight usually reserved for U.S. baseball, which is not participating in Lima.
Skateboarding, which is set to make its Olympic debut next year, was pulled from the Lima lineup in May after Pan Am organizers accused the sport’s governing bodies of not fulfilling requirements on the qualification system.
Racquetball, roller skating and bowling are the other Pan American Games sports that will not be part of the Olympic program.
The U.S. gymnastics team. It will consist of Morgan Hurd, Riley McCusker, Kara Eaker, Leanne Wong and Aleah Finnegan, with Shilese Jones as the alternate.
American gymnast Morgan Hurd reads a letter to her future self about the dreams and aspirations of a soon-to-be-huge career.
U.S. swimmer Nathan Adrian, who is competing again after revealing in January that he has been diagnosed with testicular cancer.
Mexican women’s racquetball player Paola Longoria, who has won six gold medals in six events over the past two Pan American Games.
Colombia’s Caterine Ibarguen, among the most dominant jumpers ever. The reigning Olympic triple jump champion is preparing for a challenge from Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas, who defeated her in the 2017 world championships in London.
Sabrina Ionescu, who will seek gold for the U.S. women in 3×3 basketball before embarking on what is expected to be a record-setting senior season at Oregon.
Jamaican sprinters Elaine Thompson and Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce, who between them have won the past three Olympic gold medals in the women’s 100 meters.
Brazilian gymnast Arthur Zanetti, who won gold on the rings at the 2012 Olympics and silver four years later in Rio.
Who else will star at the Pan American Games? Get the full list here.
The United States is the all-time medal leader at the Pan American Games with 4,420, including 1,944 golds. Cuba is second with a 2,026 total, and Canada third with 1,915. This is the 18th edition of the Games, which have taken place every four years since 1951.
This is the first time Peru is hosting the Pan American Games. Mexico and Canada have hosted the Games three times each, while Argentina, the U.S. and Brazil have each done so twice. Colombia, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Cuba and the Dominican Republic have all hosted once.
The Pan American Games will offer 22 Olympic qualifiers for the athletes gathered. American participants in Lima will be seeking Olympic qualification in 13 sports: archery, diving, equestrian, field hockey, karate, modern pentathlon, sailing, shooting, surfing, synchronized swimming, team handball, tennis and water polo.
Neither U.S. basketball squad has won gold since the women did so at the 2007 Games in Rio. The men haven’t won the tournament since 1983. This year’s men’s team is a collection of players from the NCAA Big East conference, led by Seton Hall guard Myles Powell.
To celebrate its athletes in the Paralympic movement, the organization formerly known as the U.S. Olympic Committee changed its name to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee last month. The Parapan American Games for athletes with disabilities follow a couple of weeks after the Pan American Games in Lima, from Aug. 23 through Sept. 1.
The Chilean capital of Santiago was chosen as host for the 2023 Pan American Games. Santiago was elected unanimously in 2017 after Buenos Aires withdrew its candidacy.
All scheduled times are ET, with coverage on ESPNU, ESPN Deportes and ESPN3 on the ESPN App:
July 26
Opening ceremonies, 8 p.m. Puerto Rican artist Luis Fonsi of “Despacito” fame will headline the inaugural ceremonies.
July 27
Women’s artistic gymnastics, qualification and team finals, 6:20 p.m. The competition will serve as the individual event and all-around qualification, with the U.S. competing in the day’s second session.
July 29
3×3 basketball finals (women 2 p.m., men 2:30 p.m.). The winners could get the early edge in international prestige heading into the discipline’s Olympic debut in Tokyo next year.
Aug. 1
Men’s soccer, Mexico vs. Argentina, 2 p.m. Regardless of the level (under-23) or event, there is always high stakes involved when these two traditional powers meet.
Aug. 4
Baseball, final, 7:05 p.m. Traditional powerhouses Puerto Rico, Cuba and Dominican Republic will be the favorites to reach the gold-medal game.
Surfing, finals beginning at 10 a.m. Surf’s on, with the first eight Pan American golds in history on the line.
Men’s basketball final, 10 p.m. Can the Big East all-star squad representing the U.S. end a 36-year Pan American gold-medal drought?
Aug. 7
100-meter finals, first race at 5:40 p.m. A potential showdown between Jamaican Olympic gold medalists Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson. The men’s final to establish regional supremacy heading into Tokyo follows.
Aug. 8
Men’s swimming, 100-meter freestyle final, 9:30 p.m. The event could be the first of Nathan Adrian’s tests in his recovery from testicular cancer. The finals for his other event, the 50 free, are the following night.
Aug. 9
Women’s triple jump final, 6:50 p.m. Fans could see a showdown between Caterine Ibarguen and current world champion Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela.
Aug. 10
Bodybuilding, 5 and 7 p.m. The first Pan American male classic bodybuilding and female fitness medals are there for the taking.
Women’s basketball final, 10 p.m. Canada looks to defend the gold medal it won in Toronto four years ago.
Aug. 11
Closing ceremonies
Pan American Games en español on ESPN Deportes and português on ESPN Brasil