NOTE: As of July 26, 2019, the 2019 U.S. Pan American Games Team has been updated to consist of 644 athletes (322 men, 322 women), of which 87 are Olympians, including 37 Olympic medalists. Twenty-five athletes have ties to the military – including 24 with Army. Forty-six states are represented with California having the most number of athletes: 141.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee today announced the U.S. Pan American Team that will compete at the Pan American Games Lima 2019 from July 26-Aug. 11 in Peru. The current U.S. roster is comprised of 321 men and 325 women, which includes the preliminary eight athletes for the women’s artistic gymnastics team that will be trimmed to five by next week to complete the final 643-member roster.
“We’re thrilled to support this incredible group of athletes, ensuring that every member of Team USA can pursue their goals in a safe and healthy environment,” said USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland. “The Pan American Games are a unique opportunity for athletes to represent our country and inspire young and old. I look forward to cheering them on and wish them great success, on and off the field of play.”
Team USA will be represented in 36 sports during the 17-day competition. The U.S. will compete in every sport on the Pan American Games program, with the exception of baseball, bodybuilding and soccer.
The 2019 U.S. Pan American squad features 91 Olympians, including 34 Olympic medalists and 19 Olympic champions. Headlining the U.S. roster is swimmer Nathan Adrian (Bremerton, Washington) and shooter Kim Rhode (El Monte, California). Adrian is a three-time Olympian and eight-time Olympic medalist who is making his Pan American Games debut in Lima. Rhode is a six-time Olympian and six-time Olympic medalist competing in her sixth Pan American Games. They are joined by Olympic champion and two-time Olympic wrestler Jordan Burroughs (Lincoln, Nebraska) and four-time Olympian equestrian athlete Beezie Madden (Cazenovia, New York), who owns four Olympic medals.
The Pan American Games are held every four years and precede the Olympic Games by one year. The Games are the third largest international multi-sport event in the world, surpassed only by the Olympic Games and the Asian Games in terms of the number of sports and competing athletes.
The XVIII Pan American Games competition features 31 Olympic sports, plus select non-Olympic sports, and serves as an Olympic-qualifying opportunity in 17 sports. Basque pelota makes its return to the Pan American Games program after a brief hiatus in 2015, while bodybuilding and surfing make their Pan American Games debut.
American athletes will be seeking Olympic qualification in 12 sports, including archery, diving, equestrian, field hockey, karate, modern pentathlon, sailing, shooting, surfing, synchronized swimming, team handball and water polo. In addition, athletes competing in badminton, weightlifting and wrestling can receive ranking points and be considered for seeding criteria toward qualification, while track and field athletes and swimmers can earn minimum qualification standards for U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Coverage of the 2019 U.S. Pan American Team can be found at TeamUSA.org/Lima2019 and on Team USA’s social channels featuring the hashtag #Lima2019. Additionally, visit TeamUSA.org/USADaily to sign up to receive the USA Daily, a digital news blast that provides Team USA results and highlights each night via email during the Games.
Click here to view the complete 2019 U.S. Pan American Team roster.
Lima 2019 – By the Numbers
- 41 Panam Sports nations
- 6,700 total athletes estimated
- 413 medal events
- 31 sports on the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 program
- 39 total sports
- 61 disciplines
- 17 competition days
- 12,000 volunteers
Team USA Notes & Storylines
- The final 2019 U.S. Pan American Team includes 643 athletes (321 men and 322 women).
- Team USA will be competing in 36 sports.
- The 2019 roster features 91 Olympians – including 34 Olympic medalists and 19 Olympic champions.
- Twelve members of the U.S. Pan American Team are Youth Olympians.
- A total of 47 states are represented (by hometown) on the U.S. roster; California leads with 144 athletes.
- Team USA includes 67 athletes who speak Spanish.
- The youngest and oldest members on the team are 15-year-old archer Casey Kaufhold (March 6, 2004; Lancaster, Pennsylvania) and 57-year-old sailor Ian Jones (Sept. 1, 1961; Buffalo, New York). Additionally, 36 athletes are age 17 and younger and there are 22 athletes who are 40 and older.
- Three-time Olympian and eight-time Olympic medalist Nathan Adrian (swimming; Bremerton, Washington) was diagnosed with testicular cancer in January 2019. The Pan American Games will mark only his second international competition since his diagnosis in January.
- Four-time national champion and boxing’s team captain Virginia Fuchs (Houston, Texas) makes her Pan American Games debut after winning a gold medal at the Pan American Games Qualifier only a few weeks after receiving in-patient treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder in spring 2019.
- Kanak Jha (table tennis; Milpitas, California) competed for Team USA at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 and Summer Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018, where he won a bronze medal. He has been crowned the U.S. men’s singles national champion every year since 2016.
- Three athletes have served as a U.S. flag bearer at an Olympic or Pan American Games – Khatuna Lorig (Chula Vista, California) (2008 Olympic Games), Jason Read (Ringoes, New Jersey) (2011 Pan American) and Kim Rhode (2015 Pan American).
- Twenty-five athletes have military ties – including 23 with Army, one with Air Force and one with the Marine Corps. USA Shooting has the most representation, featuring 10 athletes with military ties.
- Over 30 sports are sending current or former collegiate athletes who represented their schools in outside competition.
*The current U.S. roster includes the preliminary eight athletes for the women’s artistic gymnastics team. Additionally, the track and field roster may be adjusted in the coming days leading up to Lima 2019. Team statistics are subject to change and the roster may be adjusted due to injury, illness or exceptional circumstances up to the technical meetings for each sport.