1979 Pan American Games
 | |
| Host | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
|---|---|
| Nations | 34 |
| Athletes | 3,700 |
| Events | 250 in 24 sports |
| Opening | July 1 |
| Closing | July 15 |
| Opened by | Governor Carlos Romero Barceló |
| Cauldron lighter | Cynthia Guadalupe |
| Main venue | Hiram Bithorn Stadium |
The 1979 Pan American Games, officially the VIII Pan American Games (Spanish: VIII Juegos Panamericanos) and commonly known as San Juan 1979, were a multi-sport event governed by the Panam Sports Organization (PASO), and were held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from July 1 to July 15, 1979. Volleyball and some baseball matches were held in Caguas, Puerto Rico.[1][2] The 1980 documentary film A Step Away showcased a number of athletes competing in the Games.
Bidding process
On May 31, 1973, San Juan was the only candidate city to be a finalist to host the games and thus, San Juan was then selected to host the VIII Pan American Games by PASO at its general assembly in Santiago, Chile.[3][4][5]
The Games
Sports
Archery ()
Athletics ()
Baseball ()
Basketball ()
Boxing ()
Cycling ()
Diving ()
Equestrian ()
Fencing ()
Field hockey ()
Football ()
Gymnastics ()
Judo ()
Roller sports ()
Rowing ()
Sailing ()
Shooting ()
Softball ()
Swimming ()
Synchronized swimming ()
Table tennis ()
Tennis ()
Volleyball ()
Weightlifting ()
Wrestling ()
Medal count
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  United States | 126 | 95 | 45 | 266 |
| 2 |  Cuba | 64 | 47 | 34 | 145 |
| 3 |  Canada | 24 | 43 | 71 | 138 |
| 4 |  Argentina | 12 | 7 | 17 | 36 |
| 5 |  Brazil | 9 | 13 | 17 | 39 |
| Totals (5 entries) | 235 | 205 | 184 | 624 | |
- Note
^ The medal count for Canada is disputed.
Mascot
The 1979 Games were the first one to feature a mascot, which was a running frog holding a torch named Coqui.[6]
References
- ^ Boswell, Thomas (July 11, 1979). "Cuba Nine In a Class By Itself". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
- ^ Krastev, Todor. "Men Volleyball Panamerican Games 1979 Caguas (PUR) - 02-13.07 Winner Cuba". Todor66.com. Archived from the original on October 12, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
- ^ "Belle Époque: San Juan 1979". ESPN Deportes (in Spanish). July 4, 2015. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
- ^ "Los VIII Juegos Panamericanos de San Juan son un evento que no se olvida" [The VIII Pan-American Games of San Juan is an event that is not forgotten]. Primera Hora (in Spanish). June 30, 2009. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
- ^ "Puerto Rico hará Panamericanos" [Puerto Rico has Panamerican]. El Tiempo (in Spanish). Santiago, Chile. Associated Press. June 1, 1973. p. 1-C. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
- ^ "VIII Pan American Games - San Juan (Puerto Rico) 1979". Quadrodemedalhas.com. Archived from the original on June 13, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
External links
- San Juan 1979 - VIII Pan American Games - Official Report (Part 1) at PanamSports.org
- San Juan 1979 - VIII Pan American Games - Official Report (Part 2) at PanamSports.org