By Steve Keating
SANTIAGO (Reuters) – From breakdancing to basketball, gold medals in 21 sports were up for grabs at the Pan American Games on Saturday but Chile were denied the one they wanted more than any other when they lost the men’s soccer final on penalties to Brazil.
With both their teams playing in the finals, soccer mad Chile had a chance to end the Games on a golden high but instead there was only disappointment with the women falling 1-0 to Mexico on Friday followed by more heartbreak with the men losing 4-2 on penalties after the match ended 1-1 following extra time.
Maximiliano Guerrero put Chile ahead just before the half and it looked as if that might be all they would need until Ronald Cardoso scored in the 83rd minute, silencing the capacity crowd at Vina del Mar’s Estadio Sausalito.
The goal was the first conceded by the hosts the entire tournament.
Goalkeeper Mycael Pontes was the man of moment for Brazil, stopping two Chile penalties and then stepping up and slotting home the deciding goal.
The penultimate day of competition saw a Games gold rush with the United States taking their share as usual, pushing their haul to close to 300 medals.
Sitting on 116 gold and 272 medals overall, the United States will once again end the Games on Sunday top of the table.
Brazil made a big push on Saturday getting to 64 gold and is the only other country to reach 200 medals but cannot overtake the mighty Americans.
There will, however, be a final day fight for third spot between Mexico (48/131) and Canada (46/160).
The U.S. romped to gold in both the water polo finals with the men crushing Brazil 17-7 and the women dumping Canada 20-11.
The United States was also golden on the softball diamond taking top spot on the podium, cruising past Puerto Rico 7-0 while Canada beat Mexico by the same score in the bronze medal contest.
On the trampoline, the United States took top spot in both women’s and men’s synchronised events with Jessica Steven scooping individual gold.
Only a win by Colombia’s Angel Hernandez Recalde in the men’s individual event prevented an American sweep.
Breakdancing awarded their first ever Pan Am Games medals with B-Girl Sunny (Grace Choi) and Canada’s B-Boy Phil Wizard (Philip Kim) claiming gold and a coveted quota spot for the Paris Olympics where the sport will also be making its debut.
“To be a part of history for me really means the world,” said Kim. “Of course I want to win but first and foremost its about showing breaking to the world.
“I want more people to see this because this is what I have spent my year doing.”
Brazil completed a clean sweep of all eight gold medals on offer in rhythmic gymnastics with Maria Alexandra wining the individual clubs, Barbara Domingos individual ribbon and taking first in the three ribbons, two balls team event.
The triathlon competition finished with Brazil, led by men’s gold medallist Miguel Hidalgo, winning the mixed relay ahead of the United States and Canada.
Unlike the 20km (12.43 miles) race walk there were no embarrassing gaffes in the mixed relay won by Ecuador.
The women’s 20km was the scene of one of the Pan Ams biggest blunders when it was discovered the route was several kilometres short resulting in all times being voided and precious Paris Olympic ranking points lost.
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Santiago; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
