The XVII Pan American Games, featuring Western Hemisphere athletes from from the bottom of Latin America to tip of Canada, ended Sunday in Toronto.
So successful were the Games (over a million people turned out after what was an initially lukewarm response by many locals) that there was immediate talk about Canada’s biggest city making a bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Both the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Canadian Paralympic Committee are urging Toronto to make a pitch, but Mayor John Tory, good politician that he is, was playing his cards close to his vest, saying no decision will be made until after officials examine the benefits and costs involved in a bid.
Should Toronto enter the 2024 Olympic race, it would be up against Rome, Paris, Boston, Budapest, Hamburg, Germany and any other interested cities that must officially register their candidacy by Sept. 15.
Meanwhile, organizers say these games are from from over. Still to come are the Parapan Am Games. They open Aug. 7 when 1,560 athletes with disabilities will begin their competitions in 15 sports.
The Canadian the Parapan athletes will have a tough act to follow. Over the past two weeks, Canadian won a record 217 medals — 78 of them gold — to finish second behind the United States.
At least two future Canadian Olympic stars emerged at these games. Andre De Grasse, a 20 year old from Markham, Ontario, won the 100 and 200-metre dashes and Kia Nurse, a 19-year-old from Hamilton, led the Canadian women to a gold-medal win in women’s basketball.
Both will likely be very present at next year’s Rio Summer Olympics.
But, wait a sec. Nothing’s ever perfect. To wit: Sunday’s closing ceremonies.
Just as Kanye West had 40,000 spectators rocking at the Rogers Centre, his mic cut out. After trying to repair the problem, West tossed the mic in the air and walked off the stage.
The crowd chanted “Kanye!”
For more on the games and the enthusiasm they brought out of Canadians, RCI spoke with long-time CBC journalist Teddy Katz, who was director of media relations and chief spokesman for the Games.
Listen
For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.