Flame for the first Junior Pan American Games conjured in Cali

The flame for the 2021 Junior Pan American Games was ignited during a historic ceremony at the foot of the Cristo Rey monument in Cali, Colombia. The occasion marked the first time a torch was lit for the Junior Pan American Games.

The ceremony began with a group of Colombian Scouts creating the fire from which the flame for the torch was generated. The Scouts then passed the flame to Cali Mayor, Jorge Iván Ospina, and Valle del Cauca Governor, Clara Luz Roldán, before Panam Sports President, Neven Ilic, used it to light the first torch of the relay.

A pair of youth athletes, Valeria Cabezas, 2018 Youth Olympic champion in the 400m hurdles, and Juan Manuel Morales, a Colombian national youth swimming champion, received the torch from Ilic to officially start the torch relay. They ran a lap around the Cristo Rey monument for their leg of the tour.

Dignitaries, guests, and members of the media were able to get a glimpse of the Cali-Valle 2021 torch during this initial leg of the relay.

According to Panam Sports, “the design of the torch represents a nest that is inspired by the various birds of Colombia, much like the Official Medals of Cali 2021. The symbolism tells the story of how young athletes of the Americas will begin their flights to the greatest heights of international sport at the Cali 2021 Junior Pan American Games.”

The torch relay will take this Thursday off, before traveling to Barranquilla, the recently announced host city of the 2027 Pan American Games, on Friday. The torch relay will head to Jamundi on Saturday, and end the weekend with stops in Calima, El Darien and Yumbo on Sunday.

The torch is due to arrive at Pascual Guerrero stadium in Cali in time to play a starring role in the opening ceremony of the first Junior Pan American Games. The 2021 Junior Pan American Games are scheduled to begin on November 25 and run until December 5, 2021.