America's sports party reached Chicago in 1959 (III)

Between August 25 and September 7, 1959, Chicago, U.S.A. hosted the 3rd Pan American Games, a multi-sport event in which the number of athletes dropped this time to 2,161.

Compared to its performance four years earlier, Cuba climbed one place on the medal table and finished eighth with two gold, four silver, and four bronze medals.

A significant fact is that the Cuban Revolution had triumphed seven months before Games, which would be a starting point for the achievement of important victories of Cuban sports at international level.

The United States (122-73-54) won the event by a comfortable margin, way ahead of Argentina (9-22-12) and Brazil (8-8-6).

Among the outstanding performances of Latin American athletes, Brazilian triple jumper Adhemar Ferreira da Silva won his third gold medal, whereas the American boasted their top level in track and field—they won 26 titles out of 32 possible titles—and also prevailed in basketball, fencing, wrestling, swimming, shooting, rowing, horse riding, and weightlifting.

Argentina won the men's soccer tournament for the third time in a row; Mexico retained its leadership in tennis; and Brazil won in women's volleyball.

It would be precisely on Brazilian soil, in the city of Sao Paulo, where the best athletes of the Americas would meet again to compete and fraternize in the 4th Pan American Games.