1971 Pan American Games

The 6th Pan American Games were held in Cali, Colombia, from July 30 to August 13, 1971. (One source dates the Games from July 25 to August 8.)^[2] The then called "Salsa World Capital", located at the foot of the Andes Mountains, hosted a total of 2,935 athletes from 32 countries, who participated in seventeen sports. (One source says 4,000 athletes)^[1] The highlight of the opening ceremony was a synchronised dance routine involving 12,000 young girls dressed in native costumes.

Host city election

At the 1967 PASO meeting in Winnipeg, Cali narrowly beat out Champ, Missouri (Near St. Louis), USA, for the right to host the sixth Pan American Games.

Highlights

• Cuban triple jumper Pedro Pérez set a world record with a jump of 17.40m, besting the previous record by Soviet Viktor Sanyeyev.^[2]
• Jamaica's Donald Quarrie won the gold medal in the 100m and 200m races.^[2]
• Cuba ranked second in overall medals by winning titles in baseball and women and men's volleyball. It came second in water polo and third in basketball, eliminating the United States for the first time in the history of the games.^[2]
• Steve Prefontaine, USA won his only gold medal in an international competition in the 5000 m run with a time of 13:52.53.

Venues

The main stadium was the Estadio Pascual Guerrero. Some events were held in the Coliseo El Pueblo. Boxing was staged in the Plaza de Toros Cañaveralejo, a Cali bullring. Some complaints were made about the barracks-style housing, which was woefully overcrowded. In an effort to protect the athletes from students who had protested the amount of money that Colombia was spending on the games, security-minded officials surrounded the athletes' village with barbed wire and guards carrying rifles. The overcrowding caused it to be dubbed "Claustrophobia Manor" by the athletes.^[1] Other concerns centered on mosquitoes, the altitude, faulty plumbing, dysentery and pickpockets.

Medal table

Although the usually dominant U.S. team did manage to win heavily in athletics and women's gymnastics, Argentina and Brazil pulled surprise wins in rowing, as did Cuba in basketball. The United States acknowledged despite their strong team, other nations had markedly improved and that there would be a more even distribution of medals.^[1]

Host country in bold.

1971 Pan American Games Medal Count
Pos	Country	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	United States	105	73	40	218
2	Cuba	31	49	25	105
3	Canada	19	20	41	80
4	Brazil	9	7	14	30
5	Mexico	7	11	23	41
6	Argentina	6	4	12	22
7	Colombia	5	9	14	28
8	Jamaica	4	3	4	11
9	Puerto Rico	2	4	7	13
10	Venezuela	2	3	4	9
11	Netherlands Antilles	1	2	1	4
12	Trinidad & Tobago	1	1	5	7
13	Panama	1	1	4	6
14	Ecuador	1	0	2	3
15	Guatemala	1	0	0	1
16	Chile	0	3	4	7
17	Peru	0	1	4	5
	Uruguay	0	1	4	5
19	Barbados	0	1	0	1
20	Guyana	0	0	1	1

Sports

• Athletics
• Basketball
• Boxing
• Cycling
• Diving
• Football (soccer)
• Rowing
• Swimming
• Synchronized swimming
• Volleyball
• Wrestling

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} The Pain-Am Games
2. ^ ^{a b c d} History of the Pan Am Games