PAN AM GAMES 2019: Top athletes to compete at Lima
PAN AM GAMES 2019: It is time for top athletes of Americas – North, South, and Central – to showcase their acumen in different sports and games. Lima, capital of Peru, is providing the platform as host to the Pan American Games.
Though the event or even its venue does not appear to be even remotely connected to India, there will be several sportspersons, sports organizers and coaches of Indian origin who will be seen in action during the fortnight-long sports extravaganza.
If the United States of America men’s hockey team will be led by an Indian-America, Canada will have a fair sprinkling of players of Indian origin, including Panesar brothers.
It is not only hockey but other games, too, will have Indian flavor.
Otherwise, the list of incredible athletes who will be competing at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games, includes a large number of Olympian medalists and World Cup stars. Out of the nearly 7,000 athletes who are coming to the Peruvian capital to test their mettle against the best athletes of the American continent, more than 100 are Olympic medalists who have proven themselves against the best of the world at the last seven Olympic Games. From Barcelona 1992 to Rio 2016, these athletes have won more than 150 Olympic medals, including 69 awarded at the pinnacle of the Olympic podium. The roster of Olympic Champions who will compete at Lima 2019 features some of the greatest athletes of all-time in their respective disciplines, including: Mijain Lopez (Cuba - Wrestling) Nathan Adrian (USA - Swimming) Paula Pareto (Argentina - Judo) Arthur Zanetti (Brazil - Gymnastics) Mariana Pajon (Colombia - BMX) Caterine Ibarguen (Colombia - Triple Jump) Julio Cesar La Cruz (Cuba - Boxing) Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica - Athletics) Elaine Thompson (Jamaica - Athletics) Martine Grael & Kahena Kunze (Brazil - Sailing) Justin Gatlin (USA - Athletics) Ruben Limardo (Venezuela - Fencing) Kim Rhode (USA - Shooting Sport) Thiago Braz Da Silva (Brazil - Athletics) But being an Olympic Champion won’t guarantee these athletes a spot on the podium at Lima 2. There are hundreds more Olympians, World Champions and Pan American Games Champions such as Alexandra Grande (Peru - Karate), Michelle Li (Canada - Badminton), Barbara Riveros (Chile - Triathlon), Alonso Edward (Panama - Athletics), Kyle Snyder (USA - Wrestling) and Luguelin Santos (Dominican Republic - Athletics) who are also ready to prove they are the best in the Americas at Lima 2019. These world-class athletes coupled with the most Olympic qualifiers in the history of the Pan Am Games guarantees Lima 2019 will have the greatest level of competition ever seen in the Americas Olympic Movement. "We are moments away from watching the highest level of competition in the history of the Pan American Games. We will witness more than 100 Olympic medalists, numerous World Champions and the top-ranked athletes of the world in several sports. I believe that having several disciplines as qualifiers to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games has inspired the best athletes of our continent to compete here in Lima. We will have a sports celebration of spectacular quality, and we can’t wait to watch,” said Panam Sports President, Neven Ilic. The Lima 2019 Pan American Games begin on July 26 when the Pan American Flame finally arrives at Peru’s National Stadium to begin the Opening Ceremony. Four years of waiting, four years of relentless training, have all led to this historic moment for Peru and the Americas. -PTC News
