Athletes go for the gold at the Pan American Games
Athletes from Canada to Argentina braved Lima's chilly, damp weather for three weeks in August at the Americas' biggest sporting competition, which debuted surfing as in event in a country known as the Hawaii of South America. The U.S. finished atop the medal standings with 293, followed by Brazil with 171 and Mexico with 136.
The event’s $1 billion price tag created world-class infrastructure for the 9 million residents of the Peruvian capital, which sits in a desert next to the Pacific Ocean. The spending drew criticism from some who thought the government should have instead put that money into poor communities that lack drainage, roads and drinking water in one of the world's driest capitals.
Caterine Ibarguen of Colombia competes in the women's long jump during the athletics at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Damian Warner of†Canada, left, and Ken Mullings of†Bahamas prepare to start a men's decathlon 110m hurdles heat during the athletics at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Huber Godoy of Cuba competes on the horizontal bar in the men's artistic gymnastics apparatus at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Wednesday, July 31, 2019. Godoy won the bronze medal. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Leanne Wong, right, and Riley McCusker of the U.S. warm up to compete on beam in the women's gymnastics qualification and team final at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Saturday, July 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Yesenia Saskia Ferrera, of Cuba, stretches her arms behind her back as she prepares to compete on beam in the women's gymnastics qualification and team final at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Saturday, July 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Kimberly Geist, left, and Christina Birch, of the United States, hold their nation's flag to celebrate winning the gold in women's Madison track cycling at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Jenna Burkert of the U.S. gets an eye gouge from Ecuador's Lissette Antes in their women's 57kg freestyle wrestling final bout at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019. Antes defeated Burkert to win gold. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Barbara Domingos of Brazil kisses her silver medal for women's rhythmic gymnastics ribbon apparatus during the podium ceremony at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Monday, Aug. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
A tear runs down the face of Venezuela's Luis Avendano as he is overcome with emotion after receiving the gold medal for men's 87kg Greco-Roman wrestling at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Sarah Robles of the United States competes in women's snatch +87 kg weightlifting at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Tuesday, July 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
Goalkeeper Jonathan Klages of United States blocks a shot by Oliver Scholfield of Canada, left, during the field hockey men's preliminaries group B match, at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
Junior Angulo of Ecuador, right, celebrates after beating Jose Arroyo of Peru in the men's - 100kg bronze medal judo match at the Pan American Games in Lima Peru, Sunday, Aug.11, 2019. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Yenni Sinisterra of Colombia celebrates after lifting 94 kg during the snatch women's weightlifting 55 kg event at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Sunday, July 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Argentina's Lucas Guzman is draped in his nation's flag as he's congratulated by his coach after winning the gold in the men's under 58kg Taekwondo event, after Guzman defeated Brandon Plaza, of Mexico, at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Saturday, July 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Performers use their cell phones as they wait to take part in the closing ceremony of the Pan American Games at the National stadium in Lima, Peru, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
Vendors at a food stand watch fireworks exploding over the National stadium during the closing ceremony of the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
Colombia's Mauricio Bermudez lands in the water after being thrown when his horse Fernhill Nightshift tripped while crossing a jump, in the cross country discipline of equestrian eventing at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Athletes compete in men's cycling bmx semi-final at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Friday, Aug. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
A screen shows action replay of a rugby seven match between Canada and Brazil during the Pan American Games inside a stadium where homes can be seen on the hillside behind in Lima, Peru, Sunday, July 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela celebrates after winning the gold medal in the women's triple jump final, setting a new Pan American record, during the athletics at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Friday, Aug. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Puerto Rico's Fernando Cruz celebrates after saving the win against Canada in the men's baseball gold medal game at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019. Puerto Rico won the gold medal. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Jason Ho-Shue, left, and Nyl Yakura of Canada, right, celebrate their gold medal badminton win in the men's doubles against Phillip Chew and Ryan Chew of the United States, at at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Friday, Aug. 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Ingrit Valencia of Colombia celebrates beating Virginia Fuchs of the United States to win the gold medal in their women's flyweight boxing final bout at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Friday, Aug. 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
Daniel Holloway of the United States, right, competes in the cycling track men's omnium final at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019. Holloway won the gold medal and Prado the silver medal. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)
Camila Freeley of United States competes for the silver medal in the rhythmic gymnastics individual all around rotation 3 at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Augusto Dutra Da Silva of†Brazil holds the pole as he prepares for a to jump in the men's pole vault final during the athletics at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Brenda Castillo of the Dominican Republic jumps during the gold medal women's volleyball match against Colombia at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Natasha Wodak of Canada celebrates winning the gold medal in the women's 10000m final during the athletics at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
Tanya Rodriguez of the Dominican Republic celebrates after defeating Susana Li of Chile in the women's karate under 68kg gold medal match at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)
Argentina's hockey players stand in line during the playing of national anthems before their women's preliminaries pool WA against Canada at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Wednesday, July 31, 2019. Argentina won 3-0. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Candice Appleby of the United States rides a wave to win the silver medal in the surfing women's SUP race final during the Pan American Games on Punta Rocas beach in Lima Peru, Friday, Aug.2, 2019. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Argentina's Virginia Bardach, who will compete in the women's swimming 200m individual medley, is seen through the cutout of a chair as she warms up before competition at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Dylan Carter of Trinidad and Tobago looks into the camera as he stands ready to compete in the men's swimming 200m freestyle final at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Anne-Elizabeth Stone of the U.S. screams in celebration as she wins the gold medal in her women's sabre individual fencing final bout against Argentina's Maria Perez at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
The mask of Argentina's Maria Perez lies on the fencing platform during a pause in her women's sabre individual fencing semifinal against Venezuela's Alejandra Benitez at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Photos by Fernando Vergara, Silvia Izquierdo, Fernando Llano, Rebecca Blackwell, Martin Mejia, Juan Karita, Moises Castillo and Rodrigo Abd