Sunday, November 5th, 2023.- On October 20th, 2023, the history of Chilean sports was forever marked, as after declining the opportunity to host the continental games in 1975 and 1987, along with the unsuccessful bid for the 2019 event, which was eventually awarded to Lima, Chile finally hosted its first Pan American Games.
The opening of the 19th edition of this multisport event brought an end to a long wait for the South American country. To make it happen, Chile had to overcome delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
All of those challenges were left behind on Friday, October 20th, when in front of 25,000 people at the National Stadium, tennis players Fernando González and Nicolás Massú, the only Chilean Olympic gold medalists, joined 90-year-old Lucy López, the first Chilean female athlete to step onto a Pan American podium, in lighting the cauldron that burned throughout the competition.
"Good evening, Chile; good evening to all of the Americas. On October 20th, I proudly and joyfully declare the Pan American and Parapan American Games open," said President Gabriel Boric to officially kick off the event.
The ceremony was filled with symbolism, featuring Los Jaivas' performance of the song "Todos Juntos," the participation of poet Raúl Zurita, the entry of the flame through the area where the memorial of the Disappeared Detainees during the dictatorship is located, carried by swimmer Kristel Köbrich, the participation of Chilean sporting legends like former footballer Iván Zamorano, and the musical closing by Los Bunkers and Los Tres, two of the country's most recognized bands in the region.
The event concluded with the first reference to Barranquilla, the city that will host the 20th edition of the Pan American Games in 2027. Colombian singer Sebastián Yatra provided the final performance in an emotional event where sports from all of the Americas were celebrated. After many unrealized attempts, Chile finally proved to be a great host.
Written by Felipe Hurtado H; translated by Andrés Castro. / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport
Photo by Javier Salvo / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport
