The Junior Pan American Games are focused on the athletes who are between the ages of 18 and 21. This is a generation which, after participating in youth events, often has fewer opportunities for high-level international competitions due to the significant age gape with the established regional and international competitors in their sports.
Qualifying to the top sporting events in the world such as the Pan American and Olympic Games can sometimes be an insurmountable challenge, causing a negative impact on the motivation and performances of these athletes.
The Junior Pan American Games aim to change this, with one of the many advantages of the event being direct qualification to the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games for the winner of each discipline.
More than 3,500 athletes from 41 countries across the Americas will compete in 39 disciplines, with individual gold medalists earning their country a guaranteed spot at the Santiago 2023 Pan Am Games.
“These Games are a way of sending a message of hope to the whole world through sport, about everything we are able to achieve in order to recover and get out of this crisis,” said Cali 2021 President Baltazar Medina.
Panam Sports President Neven Ilic acknowledged the difficulties that existed prior to hosting the Games in Colombia.
“The pandemic affected everything. We entered a state of confinement as a result of the isolation decision in March of last year and we understood that it was a compelling reason to take time to decide if we were all in a position to move forward. We are very happy and excited that this youth festival is about to begin. We have all made a tremendous effort for our athletes. This generation of athletes represents the future of our continent and that is why we are giving our all for them, ‘All For You’,” said Ilic.
8 athletes will represent the Virgin Islands in 4 sports at the inaugural Junior Pan American Games which will take place in Cali-Valle, Colombia, November 25 – December 5, 2021.
The VI team comprising 1 sailor, 2 track athletes, 1 squash player and 4 basketball players will arrive into Colombia from November 24 ahead of the opening ceremony on November 25 and their events starting November 26. BVIOC President Ephraim Penn, Secretary General Lloyd Black and Chef de Mission and squash coach, Adam Murrills will be in Cali in advance of the athletes in preparation of their arrival.
The first athletes to qualify for Cali 2021 were sailor Thad Lettsome, who made his first major Games debut at the Lima 2019 Panam Games and swimmer Elinah Phillip, who made her first Olympic appearance at Rio 2016 and competed again at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Unfortunately, Phillip is making a health recovery and will not be able to compete at Cali.
Lettsome will compete in the men’s ILCA 7 single person dinghy on Lake Calima, December 2 – 4.
Making his major Games debut, Luca Reich – who also is the flag bearer for the Opening Ceremony on November 25 – will be the first athlete to compete at Cali 2021 when he faces his squash opponents at Club Campestre de Cali, November 26 – 27.
The 2 track athletes who are all competing at their first major Games are sprinters Jaleel Croal (200m) and Zara Brown (100m). The 100m races take place November 30 – December 1 and the 200m events take place December 2 – 3 at the Estadio Olimpico Pascual Guerrero, Santiago de Cali. Unfortunately, Rikkoi Brathwaite, who was originally slated to compete in the 100m and 200m, had to pull out at the last minute.
The VI will be represented in basketball at a major Game For the first time since appearing at the CAC Games in 2010 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. D’Andre Mitcham, Stephano Paul, Michael Richardson, and Shakeem Tyson have been selected to form the 3×3 basketball team competing at the Pan American Courts in Cali, December 2 – 5.
The VI will be represented in basketball at a major Game For the first time since appearing at the CAC Games in 2010 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. D’Andre Mitcham, Stephano Paul, Michael Richardson, and Shakeem Tyson have been selected to form the 3×3 basketball team competing at the Pan American Courts in Cali, December 2 – 5.
The VI delegation to Cali 2021 also includes coaches Chris Watters (sailing), Ralston Henry (athletics), Trevor Stevens (basketball) and physiotherapist, Levi James.
The 10 days of nonstop action will be broadcast live and direct on the Panam Sports Channel and on CBN Television Channel 101.
Click here to watch the Opening Ceremony
