Santiago, Chile.

To the Brazilian gymnast Rebecca Andrade and its American counterpart Jordan Chilesto the Dominican athlete Marileidy Paulino and the Canadian swimmer Maggie McNeilstars of Pan-American sport, the first Olympic Games with female participation, in Amsterdam 1928, are too far away.

Before the event in this European city, women were banned, they could only be spectators. A century later, international multi-sport events, such as the Pan-American of Santiago-2023, are a sample of the path traveled.

• Many of them arrive in the Chilean capital loaded with laurels. Andrade has just been proclaimed world vault champion, beating none other than the American Simone Biles, friend of Chiles, Olympic silver and gold at the world championships. Paulino will also be there with his 400m reign and Mac Neil, triple Olympic medalist.

The United States, winner of 16 of the 18 Pan American eventss, is presented in Santiago with a “team” of 631 athletes, including 318 women and 313 men.

Brazil, another powerful Pan American delegation, will be led by Olympic champion Rebeca Andrade, expected to be one of the big stars in Santiago, among a total delegation of 630 compatriots, 45% women.

And there are many otherslike the legendary Leonas of Argentine hockey, who stood on the podium five times at the Olympic Games, with three silver and two bronze medals, and won the title Pan-American Seven times.

In the previous edition of the continental competition, in Lima-2019, 3,480 men and 2,972 women participated, or 54% and 46%, respectively.