Pan Am Flame Makes Early Arrival in Toronto

(ATR) The Pan American Games open in dramatic style in Toronto.

Carrying the Pan American torch, Olympic champion Donovan Bailey BASE jumped from the 1100 foot tall CN Tower that rises above the Rogers Center, opening ceremony venue.

In a video sequence recorded well before tonight’s open, Bailey appeared with his three teammates who won the gold medal in the 4X100 relay at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Each took a turn with the torch at the top of the iconic tower before handing off to Bailey for his parachute plunge to the roof of the Rogers Center.

Switching to live, Bailey dropped by cable from the roof of the arena, carrying the torch to the front of the stage where he was joined by his 1996 team mates to a huge cheer from the largely Canadian audience of 45,000.

The parade of athletes followed, teams from 41 nations and territories, Canada sending the biggest delegation numbering 719 athletes. U.S. is second with 625,Brazil third with 590 athletes.

The two and a half hour ceremony was the creation of Cirque du Soleil, the Quebec-based performance group known for its spectacular presentations. The show for Toronto 2015 was no exception, from the entrance of the Pan-American flame, to acrobats sailing above the stage and a squadron of BMX cyclists catapulting around the arena, the cyclists getting the biggest cheer of any performers during the ceremony.

The protocol portion of the ceremony included the parading of the flags of the Pan-American Sports Organization and the IOC. Among those carrying the flags were Canadian novelist Yann Martel, hockey greats Bobby Orr and Mark Messier, baseball legend Fergie Jenkins, astronaut Chris Hadfield, Paralympians Chantal Petitclerc and Rick Hansen, Olympians Marnie McBean and Catriona Le May Doan.

Alexandra Orlando, chair of the PASO Athletes Commission delivered a brief tribute to Mario Vazquez Rana, the longtime president of PASO who died in February.

"Tonight we honor the man who was instrumental in building the foundation and was the heart and soul of the Pan American Games. On behalf of all the athletes who he treated like family, we honor Don Mario. You will never be forgotten."

His successor, Julio Maglione declared in his remarks the Pan Am games are now "a beautiful reality".

Governor general of Canada David Johnson declared the opening of the Pan American Games with a burst of fireworks erupting from the main stage.

Watching the ceremony were the heads of state from four nations including Stephen Harper of Canada.

IOC president Thomas Bach led the IOC delegation of about a dozen and half members. Perhaps traveling the furthest was Serge Bubka of Ukraine. National Olympic Committee presidents from outside of the Americas included Liu Peng of China and Denis Messeglia of France.

Olympian and NBA basketball star Steve Nash was the final torchbearer of the ceremony, concluding the flame’s 41-day journey. Nash captained Canada’s basketball team at the 2000 Olympics and had an illustrious NBA career featuring two most valuable player awards.

Nash carried the Pan Am flame out of the Rogers Center and into the CN Tower plaza, igniting a bowl that shot the flame onto the Pan Am cauldron.

Action in the Pan American games begins early Saturday morning with the first gold medal event in women’s triathlon. Barbara Riveros of Chile is the top seeded athlete in the event and could bring home the first gold medal of the 2015 Pan Am Games.

The rest of Saturday’s action will feature eight other sports with athletes competing for medals. Competitors in BMX cycling, canoe flat, diving, artistic gymnastics, judo, open water, synchronized swimming and weightlifting will all aim for gold medals.

Badminton, baseball, football, figure skating, rowing, rugby sevens and squash will also begin competition Saturday. Equestrian, tennis and water polo will continue their competitions which began before the opening ceremony.

Reported and written in Toronto by Ed Hula and Kevin Nutley.

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