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1979 Pan American Games

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VIII Pan American Games
HostSan Juan, Puerto Rico
Nations34
Athletes3,700
Events250 in 24 sports
OpeningJuly 1
ClosingJuly 15
Opened byGovernor Carlos Romero Barceló
Cauldron lighterCynthia Guadalupe
Main venueHiram 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

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Main article: Bids for the 1979 Pan American Games

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]

Organization

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The use of the Puerto Rican flag and anthem over those of the United States became a point of contention between the COPUR and the administration.[6] As mayor of San Juan, then-Governor Carlos Romero Barceló had been involved in the organization process, but as soon as he took office demanded that the flag of Puerto Rico could only be used if accompanied by that of the United States and that both anthems were to be played.[6] Pushback came from sports leaders led by Germán Rieckehoff, who noted that it was against IOC rules, while civilian groups backed their stance.[6] The Asociación de Atletas y Deportistas de Puerto Rico emerged as an educational tool against the administration.[6] Romero hosted the opening ceremony and coordinated for both anthems to be played, being jeered himself and witnessing the booing of the American anthem in what became known as "La Pitada Olímpica".[7] In 1980 a documentary titled A Step Away covered the organization of the event.[8]

The Games

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Sports

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Medal count

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For a more comprehensive list, see 1979 Pan American Games medal table.
RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 United States1269545266
2 Cuba644734145
3 Canada244371138
4 Argentina1271736
5 Brazil9131739
Totals (5 entries)235205184624
Note

^ The medal count for Canada is disputed.

Mascot

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Coqui, the first Pan American Games mascot

The 1979 Games were the first one to feature a mascot, which was a running frog holding a torch named Coqui.[9]

References

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Footnotes

  1. ^ Boswell, Thomas (July 11, 1979). "Cuba Nine In a Class By Itself". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ "Belle Époque: San Juan 1979". ESPN Deportes (in Spanish). July 4, 2015. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ a b c d Sotomayor 2016, pp. 208
  7. ^ Sotomayor 2016, pp. 209
  8. ^ García 2014, pp. 79
  9. ^ "VIII Pan American Games - San Juan (Puerto Rico) 1979". Quadrodemedalhas.com. Archived from the original on June 13, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2017.

Bibliography

  • Sotomayor, Antonio (2016). The Sovereign Colony: Olympic Sport, National Identity, and International Politics in Puerto Rico. University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 9780803278813.
  • García Morales, Joaquín (2014). Historia del Cine Puertorriqueño. Editorial Siembra. ISBN 9781463387310.
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