1971 Summary

THE HOST CITY

At the 1967 PASO meeting in Winnipeg, Cali, Colombia narrowly beat out Champ, Missouri, USA for the right to host the VIth Pan American Games.

THE OPENING CEREMONIES

The Games began on 30 July in Pascual Guerrero Stadium as a capacity crowd of 60,000 cheered. 12,000 Colombian girls performed choreographed routines displaying Colombia's culture and history. After the dancing, a record 2935 athletes from 32 nations passed in review. Linda Jo Metheny, 1967 gymnastics gold medalist, carried the U.S. Flag. Once the athletes were assembled in the stadium, Colombian President Misael Pastrana Borrero declared the games open. In his brief speech he also asked that the games foster the American spirit of friendship through sport. After the Olympic and PASO Flags were raised, a runner approached the stadium. At the entrance, Ampara Trujillo, a sprinter, handed the Pan American Torch to Jaime Aparicio, 400m hurdles gold medalist in 1951. Aparicio circled the track and climbed 64 steps to light the Pan American Flame on the rim of the stadium.

THE COMPETITION

Men's Athletics - The U.S. dominated with 20 gold, 14 silver, and 5 bronze. Future Olympian Frank Shorter set a Pan-Am record in the 10,000m and added a second gold in the Marathon. Donald Quarrie, from Jamaica, won the 100m and 200m setting a world record in the process. The only field event not won by the U.S. went to Cuba's Pedro Perez in the Triple Jump. Perez blew away all previous jumps with a record 57' 1" leap.

Women's Athletics - The USA and Canada were the dominant powers with 5 gold medals each. Cuba came on strong with 11 medals overall, behind Canada (13) and the U.S. (12). Debbie Brill, one of the first women to adopt the "Fosbury Flop", won the high jump with a Pan-Am record height.

Baseball - Cuba (8-0), loser to the U.S. in Winnipeg, rebounded to win the gold medal. The U.S. (6-2), which lost to cuba 4-3 in front of some 11,000 spectators, won the silver. Colombia (4-4) won the bronze.

Men's Basketball - The U.S., for the first time in Pan-Am history, failed to advance from the first round. The organizers were criticized for poor seeding, grouping the USA, Brazil, and Cuba in one group. During the preliminary round games, Brazil need to beat Cuba by 5 pts. to eliminate the U.S. Although Brazil led by 11 pts. with 1"50 to play, the final margin of victory was exactly 5 pts. Brazilian players admitted afterward that they "shaved" points deliberately, infuruating the Americans. Brazil ended up winning the gold, followed by Puerto Rico and Cuba.

Women's Basketball - Brazil and the U.S. both finished with 5-1 records, but Brazil was awarded the gold medal because they had defeated the U.S. head to head 64-60. Cuba (4-2) was third.

Boxing - Cuba cut into the usual U.S. dominance of the ring, winning 3 gold and 4 bronze to the Americans' 2 gold, 2 silver, and 5 bronze. A promising young Cuban named Teofilo Stevenson fought hard against American Duane Bobick before losing the bout. Venezuela's Francisco Rodriguez won his second consecutive Flyweight title.

Cycling - The competition was very even with the gold medals spread among 5 nations. Colombia was the only double winner, collecting gold in the 4000m Individual and Team Pursuits. Some 250,000 Colombians lined the road race course.

Men's Diving - Americans won gold and silver in both events easily.

Women's Diving - Canada won both diving golds, along with a silver and bronze, while the U.S. could only muster a silver and a bronze medal.

Equestrian - The U.S. team withdrew due to an outbreak of a South American form if Equine Encephalitis. In their absense, Mexico and Canada won the lion's share of the medals. Canada was the only team to complete the Three-Day Event.

Fencing - Cuba found itself short a man when one of it's fencers defected. Despite their missing teammate, Cuba still managed to tie the U.S. with 9 medals - although the U.S. won 5 gold to the Cubans 3.

Field Hockey - Argentina (5-0-2) successfully defended it's gold medal over Canada (5-2-0) and Mexico (3-2-2). The U.S. missed the semifinals after losing a special plaoff to Chile 2-1, finishing fifth. Argentina outscored its opponents 17-1, Chile was the only team to score against them.

Men's Gymnastics - Cuba threatened the U.S. dominance, winning the team event and 4 of the 7 individual events, thanks to Jorge Rodriquez. American John Crosby won the Floor Exercise and Rings, and his teammate John Ellas, who won the Parallel Bars.

Women's Gymnastics - Linda Jo Metheny (USA) added to her career total with 2 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze medal. Here teammate, Roxanne Pierce, won 4 gold and 2 bronze medals. Pierce was so adored by the Chilean spectators that they gave hera a standing ovation during the award ceremony for the Uneven Bars. The U.S. won all six events.

Rowing - Held on Lake Calima, the U.S. dominance 4 years earlier was notably absent in Cali. Argentina won 4 gold and Brazil 3, the U.S. settling for 2 silver and 3 bronze. As in Winnipeg, there were fewer than the usual number of entries.

Shooting - The U.S. won 9 gold medals, but its usual dominance was starting to slip. Cuba won 10 medals overall: 1 gold, 4 silver, and 5 bronze. Guatemala's Victor Castellanos won his country's first ever Pan-Am gold medal by outshooting his opponents in the the Rapid-Fire Pistol event.

Soccer - Argentina won the gold, Colombia the silver, and Cuba the bronze. The most interesting thing about the tournament was the fact that four of the six finalists hadn't made it out of the first round in Winnipeg. The U.S. embarrassingly finished last, even behind Trinidad and Tobago.

Men's Swimming - The U.S. continued its dominance by winning 14 of 15 events. Only Ecuador's Jorge Delgado broke the American stranglehold on gold mdals with a Pan-Am record. Frank Heckl (USA) won six gold medals.

Women's Swimming - Canada broke the U.S. grip on the competition winning 6 gold medals to the Americans' 8.

Synchronized Swimming - The U.S. swept the competition, winning all 3 events easily.

Men's Volleyball - Cuba, the U.S., and Brazil all finished with 4-1 records. Using games won and lost as a tiebreaker, Cuba was awarded the gold, the U.S. silver, and Brazil the bronze.

Women's Volleyball - Cuba (8-0) won the gold, followed by Peru (6-2) and Mexico (6-2). The U.S. finished a dissappointing sixth after going undefeated in Winnipeg.

Water Polo - The U.S. (5-0) won its second consecutive gold medal, ahead of Cuba (4-1) and Mexico (3-2). Cuba battled the U.S. to a 3-3 halftime tie, before falling 6-4.

Weighlifting - For the first time, medals were awarded for each type of lift, instead of just the total weight lifted. The U.S. won 19 gold, 10 silver, and 1 bronze. Ken Patera (USA), Super Heavyweight, was the only lifter wo win all four golds in his class, setting a Pan-Am record for total weight lifted. Russell Knipp, middleweight, won 3 golds and 1 silver. Cuba became a force, winning 25 medals.

Wrestling - The U.S. hold weakened in Cali, but the Americans still won 7 gold, 2 silver, andd 1 bronze medal. Cuba challenged the U.S. dominance, winning 3 gold and 7 silver. The first round matches were delayed twice by a power failure.

Yachting - Held at Cartagena, Brazil won all 3 events, while the U.S. won all 3 silvers. Argentina won 2 bronze, with Canada snatching the other one.

Click Here for a complete list of 1971 Gold Medalists.

THE CLOSING CEREMONIES

The Games closed on 13 August with colorful ceremonies in Pascual Guerrero Stadium.





THE HOST CITY At the 1967 PASO meeting in Winnipeg, Cali, Colombia narrowly beat out Champ, Missouri, USA for the right to host the VIth Pan American Games.

	THE OPENING CEREMONIES The Games began on 30 July in Pascual Guerrero Stadium as a capacity crowd of 60,000 cheered. 12,000 Colombian girls performed choreographed routines displaying Colombia's culture and history. After the dancing, a record 2935 athletes from 32 nations passed in review. Linda Jo Metheny, 1967 gymnastics gold medalist, carried the U.S. Flag. Once the athletes were assembled in the stadium, Colombian President Misael Pastrana Borrero declared the games open. In his brief speech he also asked that the games foster the American spirit of friendship through sport. After the Olympic and PASO Flags were raised, a runner approached the stadium. At the entrance, Ampara Trujillo, a sprinter, handed the Pan American Torch to Jaime Aparicio, 400m hurdles gold medalist in 1951. Aparicio circled the track and climbed 64 steps to light the Pan American Flame on the rim of the stadium.

		THE COMPETITION Men's Athletics - The U.S. dominated with 20 gold, 14 silver, and 5 bronze. Future Olympian Frank Shorter set a Pan-Am record in the 10,000m and added a second gold in the Marathon. Donald Quarrie, from Jamaica, won the 100m and 200m setting a world record in the process. The only field event not won by the U.S. went to Cuba's Pedro Perez in the Triple Jump. Perez blew away all previous jumps with a record 57' 1" leap. Women's Athletics - The USA and Canada were the dominant powers with 5 gold medals each. Cuba came on strong with 11 medals overall, behind Canada (13) and the U.S. (12). Debbie Brill, one of the first women to adopt the "Fosbury Flop", won the high jump with a Pan-Am record height. Baseball - Cuba (8-0), loser to the U.S. in Winnipeg, rebounded to win the gold medal. The U.S. (6-2), which lost to cuba 4-3 in front of some 11,000 spectators, won the silver. Colombia (4-4) won the bronze. Men's Basketball - The U.S., for the first time in Pan-Am history, failed to advance from the first round. The organizers were criticized for poor seeding, grouping the USA, Brazil, and Cuba in one group. During the preliminary round games, Brazil need to beat Cuba by 5 pts. to eliminate the U.S. Although Brazil led by 11 pts. with 1"50 to play, the final margin of victory was exactly 5 pts. Brazilian players admitted afterward that they "shaved" points deliberately, infuruating the Americans. Brazil ended up winning the gold, followed by Puerto Rico and Cuba. Women's Basketball - Brazil and the U.S. both finished with 5-1 records, but Brazil was awarded the gold medal because they had defeated the U.S. head to head 64-60. Cuba (4-2) was third. Boxing - Cuba cut into the usual U.S. dominance of the ring, winning 3 gold and 4 bronze to the Americans' 2 gold, 2 silver, and 5 bronze. A promising young Cuban named Teofilo Stevenson fought hard against American Duane Bobick before losing the bout. Venezuela's Francisco Rodriguez won his second consecutive Flyweight title. Cycling - The competition was very even with the gold medals spread among 5 nations. Colombia was the only double winner, collecting gold in the 4000m Individual and Team Pursuits. Some 250,000 Colombians lined the road race course. Men's Diving - Americans won gold and silver in both events easily. Women's Diving - Canada won both diving golds, along with a silver and bronze, while the U.S. could only muster a silver and a bronze medal. Equestrian - The U.S. team withdrew due to an outbreak of a South American form if Equine Encephalitis. In their absense, Mexico and Canada won the lion's share of the medals. Canada was the only team to complete the Three-Day Event. Fencing - Cuba found itself short a man when one of it's fencers defected. Despite their missing teammate, Cuba still managed to tie the U.S. with 9 medals - although the U.S. won 5 gold to the Cubans 3. Field Hockey - Argentina (5-0-2) successfully defended it's gold medal over Canada (5-2-0) and Mexico (3-2-2). The U.S. missed the semifinals after losing a special plaoff to Chile 2-1, finishing fifth. Argentina outscored its opponents 17-1, Chile was the only team to score against them. Men's Gymnastics - Cuba threatened the U.S. dominance, winning the team event and 4 of the 7 individual events, thanks to Jorge Rodriquez. American John Crosby won the Floor Exercise and Rings, and his teammate John Ellas, who won the Parallel Bars. Women's Gymnastics - Linda Jo Metheny (USA) added to her career total with 2 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze medal. Here teammate, Roxanne Pierce, won 4 gold and 2 bronze medals. Pierce was so adored by the Chilean spectators that they gave hera a standing ovation during the award ceremony for the Uneven Bars. The U.S. won all six events. Rowing - Held on Lake Calima, the U.S. dominance 4 years earlier was notably absent in Cali. Argentina won 4 gold and Brazil 3, the U.S. settling for 2 silver and 3 bronze. As in Winnipeg, there were fewer than the usual number of entries. Shooting - The U.S. won 9 gold medals, but its usual dominance was starting to slip. Cuba won 10 medals overall: 1 gold, 4 silver, and 5 bronze. Guatemala's Victor Castellanos won his country's first ever Pan-Am gold medal by outshooting his opponents in the the Rapid-Fire Pistol event. Soccer - Argentina won the gold, Colombia the silver, and Cuba the bronze. The most interesting thing about the tournament was the fact that four of the six finalists hadn't made it out of the first round in Winnipeg. The U.S. embarrassingly finished last, even behind Trinidad and Tobago. Men's Swimming - The U.S. continued its dominance by winning 14 of 15 events. Only Ecuador's Jorge Delgado broke the American stranglehold on gold mdals with a Pan-Am record. Frank Heckl (USA) won six gold medals. Women's Swimming - Canada broke the U.S. grip on the competition winning 6 gold medals to the Americans' 8. Synchronized Swimming - The U.S. swept the competition, winning all 3 events easily. Men's Volleyball - Cuba, the U.S., and Brazil all finished with 4-1 records. Using games won and lost as a tiebreaker, Cuba was awarded the gold, the U.S. silver, and Brazil the bronze. Women's Volleyball - Cuba (8-0) won the gold, followed by Peru (6-2) and Mexico (6-2). The U.S. finished a dissappointing sixth after going undefeated in Winnipeg. Water Polo - The U.S. (5-0) won its second consecutive gold medal, ahead of Cuba (4-1) and Mexico (3-2). Cuba battled the U.S. to a 3-3 halftime tie, before falling 6-4. Weighlifting - For the first time, medals were awarded for each type of lift, instead of just the total weight lifted. The U.S. won 19 gold, 10 silver, and 1 bronze. Ken Patera (USA), Super Heavyweight, was the only lifter wo win all four golds in his class, setting a Pan-Am record for total weight lifted. Russell Knipp, middleweight, won 3 golds and 1 silver. Cuba became a force, winning 25 medals. Wrestling - The U.S. hold weakened in Cali, but the Americans still won 7 gold, 2 silver, andd 1 bronze medal. Cuba challenged the U.S. dominance, winning 3 gold and 7 silver. The first round matches were delayed twice by a power failure. Yachting - Held at Cartagena, Brazil won all 3 events, while the U.S. won all 3 silvers. Argentina won 2 bronze, with Canada snatching the other one. Click Here for a complete list of 1971 Gold Medalists.

			THE CLOSING CEREMONIES The Games closed on 13 August with colorful ceremonies in Pascual Guerrero Stadium.