The Pan American Games is a continental multi-sport event in the Americas featuring summer sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The competition is held among athletes from nations of the Americas, every four years in the year before the Summer Olympic Games. It's the oldest continental games in the world. The only Winter Pan American Games were held in 1990. In 2021, the Junior Pan American Games was held for the first time specifically for young athletes. The Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) is the governing body of the Pan American Games movement, whose structure and actions are defined by the Olympic Charter.
The 1971 Pan American Games were held in Cali, Colombia, from July 30 to August 13, 1971. A total of 2,935 athletes from 32 countries participated in seventeen sports.
The 1975 Pan American Games were held in Mexico City, Mexico, from October 12 to October 26, 1975, exactly twenty years after the second Pan American Games were held there. It was the third major sporting event held in the Mexican capital in seven years, after the 1968 Summer Olympics and the 1970 FIFA World Cup.
The 1979 Pan American Games, officially the VIII Pan American Games were a multi-sport event governed by the Panam Sports Organization, and were held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from July 1 to July 15, 1979. The 1980 documentary film A Step Away showcased a number of athletes competing in the Games.
The 1983 Pan American Games were held in Caracas, Venezuela from August 14 to August 29, 1983. The games were the first major international competition to include relatively accurate steroid testing.
Boxing competitions at the 1979 Pan American Games in San Juan were held from July 2 to 14 at the Trujillo Alto Coliseum and the Roberto Clemente Coliseum.
Athletics competitions at the 1979 Pan American Games in San Juan were held from July 7 to 14 at the Estadio Sixto Escobar.
Basketball competitions at the 1979 Pan American Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico began on July 2 and continued through July 13. The preliminary rounds were held at the Canovanas Coliseum and the Cancha Pepín Cestero, while the final round was held at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum.
Archery competitions at the 1979 Pan American Games in San Juan were held from July 2 to 6 at the Archery Range in the University of Puerto Rico. Archery was included for the first time at the Pan American Games.
Baseball competitions at the 1979 Pan American Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico, were held on July 2–12. The venues for the competition were the Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium, the Guaynabo Municipal Stadium and the Parque Yldefonso Solá Morales.
Four cities submitted bids to host the 2019 Pan American Games and Parapan games that were recognized by the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO), all four of which made the PASO Executive Committee's shortlist. PASO selected a host city for the 2019 Pan American Games at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto, Canada on October 11, 2013, which Lima won. The other shortlisted cities were Santiago, Chile, La Punta, Argentina, and Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela.
PASO received two bids to host the 2023 Pan American Games and Parapan games from Santiago, Chile and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Later in the bidding process, Buenos Aires withdrew their bid, leaving Santiago as the sole bidder. Santiago was elected as the host city on November 4, 2017. PASO originally intended to hold the host city election in Lima, Peru which would also be the venue of the 55th PASO General Assembly, but moved the venue to Prague, Czech Republic, the venue of the 22nd ANOC General Assembly to allow Peru to focus on Pan American Games preparations.
Havana, Cuba was the only non-withdrawn bid to host the 1991 Pan American Games. At the Pan American Games Assembly, from November 12 to 14, 1986, in Bridgetown, Barbados, Mar del Plata withdrew its bid, leaving Havana as the winner to host the Games.
Two cities initially submitted bids to host the 1987 Pan American Games that were recognized by the Pan American Sports Organization. On July 12, 1981, Santiago was selected over Quito by PASO to host the X Pan American Games after the first round of voting at its general assembly held in Caraballeda, Venezuela.
Two cities submitted bids to host the 1975 Pan American Games that were recognized by the Pan American Sports Organization. On August 29, 1969, Santiago was selected unanimously over San Juan to host the VII Pan American Games by PASO at its 10th general assembly, held in Cali, Colombia.
Four cities submitted bids to host the 1983 Pan American Games that were recognized by the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO); however, only one city, Hamilton submitted their bid on time. On April 23, 1977, Caracas, Venezuela was selected over Hamilton, Canada in a two-city vote to host the IX Pan American Games by the PASO at its general assembly in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The men's 100 metres sprint competition of the athletics events at the 1979 Pan American Games took place on 7 and 8 July at the Estadio Sixto Escobar. The defending Pan American Games champion was Silvio Leonard of Cuba.
The men's 4 × 400 metres relay competition of the athletics events at the 1979 Pan American Games took place on 13 and 14 July at the Estadio Sixto Escobar. The defending Pan American Games champion was the United States team.
The men's high jump competition of the athletics events at the 1979 Pan American Games took place on 11 July at the Estadio Sixto Escobar. The defending Pan American Games champion was Tom Woods of the United States.
The men's long jump competition of the athletics events at the 1979 Pan American Games took place on 7 July at the Estadio Sixto Escobar. The defending Pan American Games champion was João Carlos de Oliveira of Brazil.
