Saturday, october 28nd, 2023.- The Santiago 2023 Pan American Games have reached the halfway mark, and the first assessments are beginning. Several disciplines have started, awarded medals, and said their goodbyes, already thinking about the Paris 2024 Olympics or the next continental event in Barranquilla 2027.

When it comes to the list of standout figures from these first eight days of competition, one name stands out above the rest: Maggie Mac Neil. The Canadian, a three-time gold medalist in Tokyo 2020, confirmed her favoritism in the pool at the Estadio Nacional.

Born in Jiujiang, China, the 23-year-old left Chile with five gold medals, one silver, and one bronze.

The swimmer won the 4x100 medley, the 100m butterfly, the 100m freestyle, the 4x100 freestyle, and the 50m freestyle. She also took second place in the mixed 4x100 medley and third place in the mixed 4x100 freestyle, an outstanding performance.

Brazilian swimmer Guilherme Costa also excelled in the Pan American pool, setting out to claim four gold medals and succeeding in all four events.

He won the 1,500 meters, adding to his earlier victories in the 400m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle, and 800 meters.


In diving, 19-year-old Mexican Osmar Olvera was the king, earning three first-place finishes, two individually and one in synchronized diving with Rodrigo Diego.

In his first Pan American Games, he excelled in the synchronized 3-meter springboard, the 1-meter springboard, and also in the 3-meter springboard.

In boxing, Cuban Julio César La Cruz showcased his credentials, securing his fourth Pan American gold in the 92kg category, maintaining a dominance that began in Guadalajara 2011.

Santiago served as a stepping stone for the Camagüey native, who is also a two-time Olympic champion in Rio de Janeiro 2016 and Tokyo 2020. He has already announced his intention to defend his crown in Paris.

Another global champion who celebrated at Santiago 2023 was Colombian cyclist Kevin Quintero, the Keirin winner in the last World Cycling Championships. He repeated his victory at the Velódromo de Peñalolén, maintaining the form that earned him the Pan American title four years ago in Lima.

The Palmira cyclist, who turned 35 this Saturday, also secured medals in the team sprint (silver) and individual sprint (bronze).

In the delegation of the hosts, the accomplishments of sisters Antonia and Melita Abraham stand out. They became the Chilean athletes with the most Pan American medals in history, accumulating eight medals at the continental event.

At the San Pedro de la Paz lagoon, the rowers reached the podium five times: once for the gold in the coxless four, three times for the silver in the double sculls, lightweight double sculls, and mixed eight with coxswain, and once for the bronze in the coxed eight. These achievements add to the medals they had previously won in Toronto 2015 (silver) and Lima 2019 (two golds).

This is just the beginning. With nine more days of competition ahead, many more figures are yet to emerge at Santiago 2023

Written by Felipe Hurtado; Translated by Felipe Vergara / Photosport
Photo by Daniel Apuy / Santiago 2023 / Photosport