The 19th edition of the Pan American Games, a historical first in Chile, promises to be a great showcase of boxing. Running from October 20 to November 5, 2023, the city of Santiago will play host to this continental event.
The Centro Nacional de Entrenamiento Olímpico will serve as the stage for the fourth leg of the Boxing Road to Paris 2024 qualification pathway. Here, athletes from North, Central, South America, and the Caribbean will converge, aiming to clinch the coveted spots for the upcoming Olympic Games.
This event is part of a series of seven qualification tournaments, taking place from June 2023 to May 2024. Five continental qualification tournaments in 2023 will be followed by two world qualification tournaments in the early months of 2024. In total, 248 Quota Places, equally divided between men and women, are up for grabs across 13 weight categories, providing boxers with the opportunity to transform their Olympic aspirations into reality.
At the Centro Nacional de Entrenamiento Olímpico, some of the finest boxers from the Americas will compete for supremacy. The stakes are high, with a total of 30 Olympic quota places for Paris 2024 up for grabs, with 16 allocated to women and 14 to men at the Pan American Games 2023. The tournament features 13 weight categories, including seven men’s events and six women’s events.
In four of the six women’s weight divisions and in all seven men’s divisions, the top two athletes will obtain spots for Paris 2024. The exceptions occur in the women’s 57kg and 60kg events, where the top four athletes will secure quotas.
A total of 174 athletes from 27 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) are poised to compete in the Chilean capital. Several notable contenders have emerged as ones to watch:
Cuba, the second most successful boxing nation in Olympic history, boasts an impressive roster. Rio 2016 gold medalist Julio César la Cruz (Men’s 92kg) and Tokyo 2020 gold medalists Arlen Lopez (Men’s 80kg) are ready to showcase their exceptional boxing skills.
Team USA at Santiago 2023 boxing event will be led by Rahim ‘Robby’ Gonzales in the Men’s 80kg category, but they also have Naomi Graham in Women’s 75kg, the sole Olympian on their roster, aiming for a historic back-to-back gold medal performance at the Pan American Games.
Brazil’s Beatriz Ferreira is expected to be a strong contender in the Women’s 60kg weight category, having previously secured the Olympic silver medal at Tokyo 2020. Her compatriot Wanderson de Oliveira, who participated in the last Olympic Games and finished 5th, seems to have developed consistency to complement his exciting defensive style. It could be his time to shine in the Men’s 71kg division.
Experienced Colombian boxer Ingrit Valencia, a Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medal winner, will strive to defend her Women’s 50kg title.
Last but not least, Canadian Tammara Thibeault aims to reassert her dominance in the Women’s 75kg category. She previously secured the silver medal at the 2019 Pan American Games and the gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Stay connected for the latest updates, photos, and results, all of which will be available on the Athlete 365 Boxing Corner website, accessible at boxing.athlete365.org.
Watch boxing action live on Olympic Channel via Olympics.com and the official Olympics app.
Find additional information on the event on the Santiago 2023 official website.
