Bolivarian Games

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Bolivarian Games
File:Odebo text logo.png
TypeMulti-sport event
Organising bodyODEBO
Founded1938; 88 years ago (1938)
RegionSouth America
(Andean states)
Nations11 (2022)
RelatedPan American Games
Websiteodebo.org/juegos

The Bolivarian Games (Spanish: Juegos Bolivarianos, full name Juegos Deportivos Bolivarianos) are a regional multi-sport event held in honor of Simón Bolívar, and organized by the Bolivarian Sports Organization (Organización Deportiva Bolivariana, ODEBO). The event is open to athletes from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico[1] and Venezuela. In 2010, the ODEBO decided to include Chile as the seventh member of ODEBO.[2] Except Panama and the Dominican Republic, all other participating countries are Andean states.

History

The first Games were held in 1938 in Bogotá, Colombia for the city's 400th anniversary. They have since been held irregularly, but every four years since 1973, with the most recent edition in Valledupar, Colombia in 2022. Inspired by the events of 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin,[3] Alberto Nariño Cheyne was the key designer of the idea of a Games to foster unity among the Bolivarian countries through the means of sport.[4]

Following the first Games, the Bolivarian Sports Organization was formed as a sub-organisation of the Pan American Sports Organization by six founding members from the respective countries – Jorge Rodríguez Hurtado (Bolivia), Alberto Nariño Cheyne (Colombia), Galo Plaza Lasso (Ecuador), Luis Saavedra (Panama), Alfredo Hohagen Diez Canseco (Peru) and Julio Bustamante (Venezuela).[3]

In terms of medals, Peru was dominant in the early years of the competition but Venezuela has consistently been the most successful country since the 1960s.

A detailed history of the early editions of the Bolivarian Games between 1938 and 1989 was published in a book written (in Spanish) by José Gamarra Zorrilla, former president of the Bolivian Olympic Committee, and first president (1976-1982) of ODESUR.[5]

Summary

Games

Year Ed. Host city Host country [n 1] Opened by Period Nat. Athl. Sports Events Winner
1938 1 Bogotá File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia Alfonso López Pumarejo 6–22 Aug 6 17 84 File:Flag of Peru (1825–1884).svg Peru
1948 2 Lima File:Flag of Peru (1825–1884).svg Peru José Luís Bustamante y Rivero 25 Dec – 8 Jan 6 22 112 File:Flag of Peru (1825–1884).svg Peru
1951 3 Caracas File:Flag of Venezuela (1930–1954).svg Venezuela Germán Suárez Flamerich 5–21 Dec 6 22 108 File:Flag of Peru (1825–1884).svg Peru
1961 4 Barranquilla File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia Alberto Lleras Camargo 3–16 Dec 5 12 145 File:Flag of Venezuela (1954–2006).svg Venezuela
1965 5 Quito File:Flag of Ecuador.svg Ecuador Ramón Castro Jijón 20 Nov – 6 Dec 6 20 142 File:Flag of Venezuela (1954–2006).svg Venezuela
1970 6 Maracaibo File:Flag of Venezuela (1954–2006).svg Venezuela Rafael Caldera 23 Aug – 6 Sep 6 17 189 File:Flag of Venezuela (1954–2006).svg Venezuela
1973 7 Panama City File:Flag of Panama.svg Panama Demetrio Basilio Lakas 17 Feb – 3 Mar 5 16 173 File:Flag of Venezuela (1954–2006).svg Venezuela
1977 8 La Paz File:Flag of Bolivia.svg Bolivia Hugo Banzer 15–29 Oct 6 16 185 File:Flag of Venezuela (1954–2006).svg Venezuela
1981 9 Barquisimeto File:Flag of Venezuela (1954–2006).svg Venezuela Luís Herrera Campins 4–14 Dec 6 18 233 File:Flag of Venezuela (1954–2006).svg Venezuela
1985 10 Cuenca File:Flag of Ecuador.svg Ecuador León Febres Cordero 9–18 Nov 6 20 230 File:Flag of Venezuela (1954–2006).svg Venezuela
1989 11 Maracaibo File:Flag of Venezuela (1954–2006).svg Venezuela Jaime Lusinchi 14–25 Jan 6 20 262 File:Flag of Venezuela (1954–2006).svg Venezuela
1993 12 Cochabamba File:Flag of Bolivia.svg Bolivia Jaime Paz Zamora 24 Apr – 2 May 6 19 275 File:Flag of Venezuela (1954–2006).svg Venezuela
1997 13 Arequipa File:Flag of Peru.svg Peru Alberto Fujimori 17–26 Oct 6 22 318 File:Flag of Venezuela (1954–2006).svg Venezuela
2001 14 Ambato File:Flag of Ecuador.svg Ecuador Roberto Hanze 7–16 Sep 6 29 377 File:Flag of Venezuela (1954–2006).svg Venezuela
2005 15 Armenia and Pereira File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia Álvaro Uribe 12–21 Aug 6 28 415 File:Flag of Venezuela (1954–2006).svg Venezuela
2009 16 Sucre File:Flag of Bolivia.svg Bolivia Evo Morales 15–26 Nov 6 30 435 File:Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela
2013 17 Trujillo[6] File:Flag of Peru.svg Peru Ollanta Humala 16–30 Nov 11 44 562 File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia
2017 18 Santa Marta File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia Clara Luz Roldán 11–25 Nov 11 34 469 File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia
2022 19 Valledupar 24 Jun – 5 July 11 32 389 File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia
2024 20 Ayacucho File:Flag of Peru.svg Peru Dina Boluarte 29 Nov-8 Dec 10 25 159 File:Flag of Peru (1825–1884).svg Peru
2025 21 Ayacucho and Lima[7] Renzo Manyari 22 Nov- 7 Dec 17 47 480 File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia
2029 22 Cúcuta File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA

Beach Games

Year Games Host City Host Country Opened by Dates Nations Events Top medalling
nation
2012 1 Lima File:Flag of Peru.svg Peru Patricia Salas 1–11 Nov 10 64 File:Flag of Peru.svg Peru
2014 2 Huanchaco[8] File:Flag of Peru.svg Peru Gloria Montenegro Figueroa 3–12 Dec 11 71 File:Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela
2016 3 Iquique[9]  Chile 24 Nov-3 Dec 11 81 Chile
2019 4 Vargas File:Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela Cancelled
Notes
  1. ^ As recognized by the IOC.

Youth Games

Year Games Host City Host Country Opened by Dates Nations Events Top medalling
nation
2024 1 Sucre[10] File:Flag of Bolivia.svg Bolivia 4–14 Apr 7 234 Colombia

Sports

The following table was compiled based on information extracted from a variety of sources.[5][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] It should be considered as incomplete.

Disciplines from the same sport are grouped under the same color:

  Aquatics  Cycling  Football  Gymnastics  Underwater sports  Volleyball -   Basketball

Sport (Discipline) Body 38 47 51 61 65 70 73 77 81 85 89 93 97 01 05 09 13 17 22
World South America
 
Diving File:Diving pictogram.svg AQUA ASUA X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Open water swimming File:Open water swimming pictogram.svg X X X
Swimming File:Swimming pictogram.svg X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Synchronized swimming File:Synchronized swimming pictogram.svg X X X X
Water polo File:Water polo pictogram.svg X X X X X X X X
 
Archery File:Archery pictogram.svg WA AAF X X X X X X
Athletics File:Athletics pictogram.svg World Athletics CONSUDATLE X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Badminton File:Badminton pictogram.svg BWF BPA X X X X
Baseball File:Baseball pictogram.svg WBSC WBSC Americas X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Softball File:Softball pictogram.svg X X X X X X X X X X
 
Basketball File:Basketball pictogram.svg FIBA FIBA Americas X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
3x3 Basketball File:Basketball 3x3 pictogram.svg X
 
Basque Pelota/
Pelota Nacional
File:Basque pelota pictogram.svg FIPV X X X X
Billiards File:Cue sports pictogram.svg WCBS CPB X X X X X X
Bodybuilding File:Bodybuilding pictogram.svg IFBB IFBBSud America X
Bola Criollas File:Bocce pictogram.svg FIB X
Bowling File:Bowling pictogram.svg IBF PABCON X X X X X X X X X X X X
Boxing File:Boxing pictogram.svg World Boxing AMBC X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Equestrianism File:Dressage pictogram.svg X
Canoeing File:Canoeing (flatwater) pictogram.svg ICF COPAC X X X X X X
Chess File:Chess pictogram.svg FIDE CCA X X X X X X X
Climbing File:Climbing pictogram.svg World Climbing X X X
Coleo File:Equestrian pictogram.svg X
 
BMX racing File:Cycling (BMX) pictogram.svg UCI COPACI X X X X X
Mountain biking File:Cycling (mountain biking) pictogram.svg X X X X X
Road cycling File:Cycling (road) pictogram.svg X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Track cycling File:Cycling (track) pictogram.svg X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
 
Equestrian File:Equestrian pictogram.svg FEI PAEC X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Fencing File:Fencing pictogram.svg FIE CPE X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Field hockey File:Field hockey pictogram.svg FIH PAHF X
 
Football File:Football pictogram.svg FIFA CONMEBOL X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Futsal File:Futsal pictogram.svg X X X X
 
Golf File:Golf pictogram.svg IGF FSG X X X X X X X
 
Artistic gymnastics File:Gymnastics (artistic) pictogram.svg World Gymnastics CONSUGI X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Rhythmic gymnastics File:Gymnastics (rhythmic) pictogram.svg X X X X X X X
Trampoline File:Gymnastics (trampoline) pictogram.svg X X
 
Handball File:Handball pictogram.svg IHF SCAHC X X X
Judo File:Judo pictogram.svg IJF PJC X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Karate File:Karate pictogram.svg WKF PKF X X X X X X X X X
Modern pentathlon File:Modern pentathlon pictogram (pre-2025).svg UIPM X
Racquetball File:Racquets pictogram.svg IRF PARC X X X X X X
Roller speed skating File:Speed rolling pictogram.jpg WS CPRS X X X
Rowing File:Rowing pictogram.svg FISA X X X X X
Rugby File:Rugby sevens pictogram.svg World Rugby CONSUR X X X
Sailing File:Sailing pictogram.svg WS SASC X X X X X X X X X
Shooting File:Shooting pictogram.svg ISSF CAT X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Squash File:Squash pictogram.svg World Squash FPS X X X X X X
Surfing File:Surfing pictogram.svg ISA APAS X X X
Table tennis File:Table tennis pictogram.svg ITTF LATTU X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Taekwondo File:Taekwondo pictogram.svg WTF PATU X X X X X X X X X X
Tennis File:Tennis pictogram.svg ITF COSAT X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Triathlon File:Triathlon pictogram.svg TRI PATCO X X X X X X
 
Finswimming File:Finswimming pictogram.svg CMAS X
Freediving File:Freediving pictogram.svg X
Spearfishing File:Spearfishing pictogram.svg X
 
Beach volleyball File:Volleyball (beach) pictogram.svg FIVB CSV X X X X X
Volleyball File:Volleyball (indoor) pictogram.svg X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
 
Water skiing File:Water skiing pictogram.svg IWWF IWWF Pan Am X X X X
Weightlifting File:Weightlifting pictogram.svg IWF PAWC X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Wrestling File:Wrestling pictogram.svg UWW CPLA X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Wushu File:Wushu pictogram.svg IWUF PAWF X
 
Total sports[11] 16 15 16 12 20 17 16 16 19 18 19 18 21 30 28 30 44 45 43


The sport of cricket is set to debut in the 2025 Bolivarian Games.[34]

Nations

File:Comunidad andina.svg
Andean Community Member states (South America except Mercosur)

Core (6)

ODEBO (Organización Deportiva Bolivariana) / Andean Community (Andean States):

Invited Nations (5)

The invited countries are not members of ODEBO but they are invited since 2013

Central America

Caribbean

South America

Members

ODEBO Members of the National Olympic Committees include:

Name Olympic Committee Admitted in
File:Flag of Bolivia.svg Bolivia Bolivian Olympic Committee 1938
Chile Chilean Olympic Committee 2010
File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia Colombian Olympic Committee 1938
File:Flag of Ecuador.svg Ecuador Ecuadorian National Olympic Committee 1938
File:Flag of Panama.svg Panama Panama Olympic Committee 1938
File:Flag of Peru.svg Peru Peruvian Olympic Committee 1938
File:Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela Venezuelan Olympic Committee 1938

Medals

Games (1938-2024)

The total medal count for all the Games until 2024 is tabulated below. This table is sorted by the number of gold medals won by each country. The number of silver medals is taken into consideration next, and then the number of bronze medals. Chile, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Paraguay started competing since the 2013 Bolivarian Games.

Bolivarian Games Medal Count
Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 File:Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela 1877 1585 1218 4680
2 File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia 1606 1416 1162 4184
3 File:Flag of Peru.svg Peru 670 753 962 2385
4 File:Flag of Ecuador.svg Ecuador 451 710 1079 2240
5 File:Flag of Panama.svg Panama 196 199 341 736
6  Chile 154 169 240 563
7 File:Flag of Bolivia.svg Bolivia 113 199 440 752
8 File:Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg Dominican Republic 60 59 129 248
9 File:Flag of Guatemala.svg Guatemala 48 74 106 228
10 File:Flag of Paraguay.svg Paraguay 23 32 36 91
11 File:Flag of El Salvador.svg El Salvador 15 22 26 63
Total 5213 5218 5739 16170

All time records

Beach Games (2012-2016)

Bolivarian Games Medal Count
Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 File:Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela 58 50 46 154
2  Chile 48 46 38 132
3 File:Flag of Peru.svg Peru 48 35 47 130
4 File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia 30 24 29 83
5 File:Flag of Ecuador.svg Ecuador 19 40 37 96
6 File:Flag of Guatemala.svg Guatemala 6 3 6 15
7 File:Flag of Paraguay.svg Paraguay 3 9 9 21
8 File:Flag of El Salvador.svg El Salvador 3 6 5 14
9 File:Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg Dominican Republic 1 3 6 10
10 File:Flag of Panama.svg Panama 0 0 2 2
11 File:Flag of Bolivia.svg Bolivia 0 0 0 0
Total 216 216 215 647

Youth Games (2024)

RankNOCGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia735155179
2File:Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela634846157
3Error creating thumbnail:  Chile304047117
4File:Flag of Ecuador.svg Ecuador25323289
5File:Flag of Peru.svg Peru202654100
6File:Flag of Bolivia.svg Bolivia9193967
7File:Flag of Panama.svg Panama771125
8Team ODEBO0101
Totals (8 entries)227224284735

Sport in Americas

See also

References

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