2003 Pan American Games
Encyclopedia
The 14th Pan American Games
were held in Santo Domingo
, Dominican Republic
, from 1 to 17 August 2003. The successful bid for the games was made in the mid-1990s, when this country had one of the highest growth rates in Latin America.
All 42 PASO countries and over 5,223 athletes pre-registered for the participation in the XIV Pan American Games. An additional 2,425 trainers and delegates attended.
The United States
pre-registered the most at 713 athletes; Saint Lucia
entered the least at 6. The host country entered 562 athletes.
, Mexico
, and Medellin
, Colombia
, in the voting. Guadalajara later went on to host the 2011 Pan American Games
.
Local baseball heroes Juan Marichal
and Pedro Martínez
were on hand for the ceremony. They completed the final lap of the torch and with Luis Pujols
, the nephew of the San Francisco Giants
coach of the same name, dressed in a Dominican baseball uniform, swung a bat at a baseball sitting atop the mini-flame which triggered the cauldron.
The ceremony also was attended by Dominican Republic President Hipolito Mejia
, Pan American Sports Organization president Mario Vázquez Raña
and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg
.
Although a few logistical incidents occurred (a team was unable to shower when the athletes village lacked water, teams were missing tennis balls or towels), U.S. team chief Roland Betts, commented "At times it has been a great struggle, but we are very excited and proud to see the venues. I believe these venues are as good as or better than any that have been created for the Pan American Games." Other attendees agreed that logistical and venues problems declined greatly during the Games.
won the 400 meters hurdles gold medal and broke the Pan Am record.
While praising the first rate facilities, critics decried the huge cost overruns, the high payroll of the organizers, and concerns over the Dominican Republic's ability to maintain the venues after the Games.
To sort this table by nation, total medal count, or any other column, click on the icon next to the column title.
Note
The medal counts for the United States
, Canada
and Mexico
are disputed.
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
were held in Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
, Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, from 1 to 17 August 2003. The successful bid for the games was made in the mid-1990s, when this country had one of the highest growth rates in Latin America.
All 42 PASO countries and over 5,223 athletes pre-registered for the participation in the XIV Pan American Games. An additional 2,425 trainers and delegates attended.
The United States
United States at the 2003 Pan American Games
The United States sent a delegation to 14th Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic from August 1–17, 2003. At the 2003 Pan Ams, the USA garnered 270 medals: 117 gold, 80 silver and 73 bronze.- Gold:*Men's Recurve Individual: Vic Wunderle...
pre-registered the most at 713 athletes; Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
entered the least at 6. The host country entered 562 athletes.
Bids
Santo Domingo beat GuadalajaraGuadalajara
Guadalajara may refer to:In Mexico:*Guadalajara, Jalisco, the capital of the state of Jalisco and second largest city in Mexico**Guadalajara Metropolitan Area*University of Guadalajara, a public university in Guadalajara, Jalisco...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and Medellin
Medellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, in the voting. Guadalajara later went on to host the 2011 Pan American Games
2011 Pan American Games
The 2011 Pan American Games, officially the XVI Pan American Games, was an international multi-sport event that was held from October 14–30, 2011 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Some events were held in the nearby cities of Ciudad Guzmán, Puerto Vallarta, Lagos de Moreno and Tapalpa...
.
Opening ceremony
The games opened at the new Olympic Stadium before a crowd of 48,000. The exhibition featured some 10,000 performers, some dressed in costumes ranging from skeletons to men in tuxedoes and top hats, typifying a Dominican carnival.Local baseball heroes Juan Marichal
Juan Marichal
Juan Antonio Marichal Sánchez is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. Playing for the San Francisco Giants most of his career, Marichal was known for his high leg kick, pinpoint control and intimidation tactics, which included aiming pitches directly at the opposing batters'...
and Pedro Martínez
Pedro Martínez
Pedro Jaime Martínez is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He is an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and 2004 World Series champion...
were on hand for the ceremony. They completed the final lap of the torch and with Luis Pujols
Luis Pujols
Luis Bienvenido Pujols Toribio was a catcher and manager in Major League Baseball. He played nine seasons with the Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, and Texas Rangers. Luis Pujols and St...
, the nephew of the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
coach of the same name, dressed in a Dominican baseball uniform, swung a bat at a baseball sitting atop the mini-flame which triggered the cauldron.
The ceremony also was attended by Dominican Republic President Hipolito Mejia
Hipólito Mejía
Rafael Hipólito Mejía Domínguez is a Dominican politician and former President of the Dominican Republic...
, Pan American Sports Organization president Mario Vázquez Raña
Mario Vazquez Raña
Mario Vázquez Raña is a Mexican businessman and sports administrator, who has served on both national and Olympic committees...
and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
.
Budget and venues
The Dominican Republic spent at least $175 million for the 17-day sporting event. Two Olympic parks were built, and laborers were forced to work right up until the opening ceremony because of construction delays, electrical blackouts, and questionable venue quality. In the end, the Dominican Republic refurbished existing sites and produced beautiful new facilities.Although a few logistical incidents occurred (a team was unable to shower when the athletes village lacked water, teams were missing tennis balls or towels), U.S. team chief Roland Betts, commented "At times it has been a great struggle, but we are very excited and proud to see the venues. I believe these venues are as good as or better than any that have been created for the Pan American Games." Other attendees agreed that logistical and venues problems declined greatly during the Games.
Controversy and local reaction
Numerous protest marches were staged to call attention to austerity measures, including import taxes and spending cuts, and neglect of impoverished areas. During the Games, the protests were banned from the city. However, the Dominicans warmly embraced the Games with pride, especially when local heroes such as Félix SánchezFelix Sanchez
Félix Sánchez —nicknamed Super Felix, the Invincible and the Dictator— is a track and field athlete from New York City, United States who competes for The Dominican Republic...
won the 400 meters hurdles gold medal and broke the Pan Am record.
While praising the first rate facilities, critics decried the huge cost overruns, the high payroll of the organizers, and concerns over the Dominican Republic's ability to maintain the venues after the Games.
Medal count
| 1 | Host nation |
To sort this table by nation, total medal count, or any other column, click on the icon next to the column title.
| 1 | 117/118 | 80 | 73/72 | 270/271/269 | |
| 2 | 72 | 41 | 39 | 152 | |
| 3 | 29 | 57 | 42/41 | 128/127 | |
| 4 | 29 | 40 | 54 | 123 | |
| 5 | 20 | 27 | 32/31 | 79/78 | |
Note
The medal counts for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
are disputed.
Sports
The 2003 games marked the return of waterskiing to the Games.- Archery
Archery at the 2003 Pan American GamesThis page shows the results of the Archery Competition at the 2003 Pan American Games, held from August 1 to August 17, 2003 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.-Recurve Individual:-Recurve Teams:-Recurve Individual:-Recurve Teams:-Medal table:... - Athletics
Athletics at the 2003 Pan American GamesThe athletics competition at the 2003 Pan American Games was held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic from Tuesday August 5 to Saturday August 9, 2003... - Badminton
Badminton at the 2003 Pan American GamesThe Badminton Competition at the 2003 Pan American Games was held from August 1 to August 17, 2003 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. There were a total number of five events.-Singles:-Doubles:-Singles:-Doubles:-Doubles:-Medal table:... - Baseball
Baseball at the 2003 Pan American GamesCuba retained the Pan American Games baseball title, with its ninth consecutive gold medal at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.-Tournament:... - Basketball
Basketball at the 2003 Pan American GamesThis page shows the results of the basketball tournament at the 2003 Pan American Games, held in the Palacio de los Deportes Virgilio Travieso Soto in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic from August 2 to August 8, 2003.-Men's Tournament:-Group A:... - Beach volleyball
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Beach Volleyball at the 2003 Pan American GamesThe Beach Volleyball at the 2003 Pan American Games was held August 2 − 9 2003 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.-Men's competition:-Women's competition:-References:* *... - Bowling
Bowling at the 2003 Pan American GamesThis page shows the results of the Bowling Competition for men and women at the 2003 Pan American Games, held from August 1 to August 17, 2003 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.-Singles:-Doubles:-Singles:-Doubles:-Medal table:... - Boxing
Boxing at the 2003 Pan American GamesThe Men's Boxing Tournament at the 2003 Pan American Games was held in the Carlos Teo Cruz Boxing Coliseum in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic from August 8 to August 15.... - Canoeing
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Canoeing at the 2003 Pan American GamesThis page shows the results of the Canoeing Competition for men and women at the 2003 Pan American Games, held from August 1 to August 17, 2003 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.-K1 500 m:-K2 500 m:-K1 1,000 m:-K2 1,000 m:-K4 1,000 m:... - Cycling
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Cycling at the 2003 Pan American GamesThere were three cycling events at the 2007 Pan American Games: road cycling, track cycling and mountain bike. The competition started on 2003-08-10 with the Mountain Bike competition , and ended on 2003-08-17 with the Men's Road Race.... - Diving
Diving at the 2003 Pan American GamesThis page shows the results of the Diving Competition for men and women at the 2003 Pan American Games, held from August 6 to August 10, 2003 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic... - Equestrian
- Fencing
Fencing at the 2003 Pan American GamesThis page shows the results of the Fencing Competition for men and women at the 2003 Pan American Games, held from August 2 to August 7, 2003 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.-Men's competition:-Women's competition:-Medal table:-References:... - Field hockey
- Football
Football at the 2003 Pan American GamesThe fourteenth edition of the football at the Pan American Games was held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic from August 2 to August 15, 2003. Eight U-23 teams competed, with Mexico defending its title. The South American teams played with their U-20 teams... - Gymnastics
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Gymnastics at the 2003 Pan American GamesThis page shows the results of the Gymnastics Competition at the 2003 Pan American Games, held from August 2 to August 5 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.-All-Around:*Held on 2003-08-03-Floor Exercise:*Held on 2003-08-05-Parallel Bars:... - Handball
Handball at the 2003 Pan American GamesThe Men's Handball Tournament at the 2003 Pan American Games was held from August 2 to August 11, 2003 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The women competed from August 2 to August 12.-Final ranking:-Final ranking:-Medal table:... - Judo
Judo at the 2003 Pan American GamesThis page shows the results of the Judo Competition for men and women at the 2003 Pan American Games, held from August 1 to August 17, 2003 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic... - Karate
Karate at the 2003 Pan American GamesThis page shows the results of the Karate Competition for men and women at the 2003 Pan American Games, held from August 1 to August 17, 2003 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.-Kata:-Kumite :-Kumite :...
- Modern pentathlon
- Racquetball
Racquetball at the 2003 Pan American GamesThis page shows the results of the Racquetball Competition for men and women at the 2003 Pan American Games, held from August 1 to August 17, 2003 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.-Singles:-Doubles:-Singles:-Doubles:-Medal table:... - Roller skating
- Rowing
- Sailing
- Shooting
Shooting at the 2003 Pan American GamesThis page shows the results of the Sport Shooting Competition at the 2003 Pan American Games, held from August 2 to August 9 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.-50 m Pistol:*Held on 2003-08-05-25 m Rapid Fire Pistol:*Held on 2003-08-07... - Softball
- Squash
Squash at the 2003 Pan American GamesThis page shows the results of the Squash Competition at the 2003 Pan American Games, held from August 10 to August 15 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.-Singles:-----Team:-Singles:-----Team:-Medal table:-References:* * *... - Swimming
Swimming at the 2003 Pan American GamesThe Swimming Competition at the 2003 Pan American Games took place in the outdoor swimming pool at the side of the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic... - Synchronized swimming
Synchronized swimming at the 2003 Pan American GamesThis page shows the results of the Synchronized Swimming Competition at the 2003 Pan American Games, held from August 1 to August 17, 2003 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. There were just two medal events after the exclusion of the Women's Solo Competition.-Duet:-Team:-Medal... - Table tennis
- Taekwondo
Taekwondo at the 2003 Pan American GamesThe results of the Taekwondo Competition for men and women at the 2003 Pan American Games, held from August 13 to August 16, 2003 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic... - Tennis
Tennis at the 2003 Pan American GamesTennis at the 2003 Pan American Games was played at the Centro Nacional de Tenis.-Medal Summary:-Medals Table:-External links:*... - Triathlon
Triathlon at the 2003 Pan American GamesThis page shows the results of the triathlon competition at the 2003 Pan American Games, held on August 10, 2003 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic... - Volleyball
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Volleyball at the 2003 Pan American GamesThis page presents the results of the Men's and Women's Volleyball Tournament during the 2003 Pan American Games, which was held from August 1 to August 17, 2003 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic... - Water polo
Water polo at the 2003 Pan American GamesThe Water Polo Tournament at the 2003 Pan American Games had a men's and a women's competition. The women were competing for the second time at the Pan American Games.-Preliminary round:*August 2, 2003*August 3, 2003*August 4, 2003... - Water skiing
Water Skiing at the 2003 Pan American GamesThis page shows the results of the Water Ski Competition at the 2003 Pan American Games, held from August 1 to August 17 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. There were six events, three for both men and women, with Canada and the United States dominating the... - Weightlifting
Weightlifting at the 2003 Pan American GamesThis page shows the results of the Weightlifting Competition at the 2003 Pan American Games, held from August 12 to August 16, 2003 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic... - Wrestling
Wrestling at the 2003 Pan American GamesThe wrestling competition at the 2003 Pan American Games was held from August 6-8, 2003 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. This was the first edition of the Pan American Games to include women's wrestling.-References:*...