July 11th, 2015
Staff
On Friday, the opening ceremony of Pan Am 2015 was held at the Rogers Center. In front of 40 thousand people, more than 5 thousand athletes attended the opening of what are the most important games after the Olympic Games.
The first medals of these games were assigned on Saturday. Of course, it was no surprise that the host country, Canada, took the first medal in canoeing. However, Canada did not stop there. It closed the day with four gold medals, two silver and two bronze and it ended up in first place.
Also, on Saturday, the Hispanic countries won important medals. In diving, the Mexicans Rommel Pacheco and Jahir Ocampo achieved the first and second place. While, on the female side, Paola Espinosa, also from Mexico, won the gold by winning over two Canadians.
Colombia got its first gold medal on Saturday as well, but not in the discipline that everyone thought. Habib De Las Salas won the gold in weightlifting 56kg and then, Oscar Figueroa achieved the first place in the same discipline, 62kg.
Everyone thought that the Colombian Mariana Pajon in the BMX, was a safe bet for Colombia. How can you not think that of the current Pan American and World Olympic Champion? But a fall in the first corner of the final of the women’s BMX, took her out of the race for the gold medal, as well as the Venezuelan Stephany Hernandez.
Ecuador got two silver medals in BMX with Alfredo Campo and Domenica Azuero. It achieved a gold medal in 60kg with Lenin Preciado.
Cuba ended the day with multiple medals, achieving silver in canoeing and one gold and two bronzes in judo.