Pan Am Games: medals galore for the U.S. but none in boxing

The 16th Pan American Games, an international multi-sport event was held October 14-30, 2011 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. The largest multi-sport competition of the year 

had 6,003 athletes from 42 nations from the Western Hemisphere competing in many of the same events that we’ll see during the 2012 Olympic Games next summer in London.

Things have certainly changed for the United States. Our basketball team was knocked out of the Pan Am Games semifinals after falling to Mexico, 71-55. You talk about some cold shooting. They were so cold, they should have been wearing gloves. And even though the U. S. faired well in the overall medal count, they earned 236 medals, they didn’t have even a single, solitary medal in Boxing. Mexico, the much smaller, host country, had nine medals in boxing and 133 medals overall.

Oscar Molina, born and raised in Los Angeles County.

Some boxing fans might dispute that statement and clamor, ‘Wait a second there! Oscar Molina won a Silver medal and he’s born and raised in Commerce, CA.’ Well, that’s true, but since both of his parents are from Mexico, this gave Molina, a proud Mexican-American, the option of which team to compete for.

It appears the U.S. Amateur Basketball and Boxing Associations are going to have to get off their duffs and do a lot better to return the United States to the days when we were the unquestioned leader in these two sports or else this same scenario will be repeated.

Here are the boxing results; read them and weep.

(L-R) Erika Cruz of Mexico (Silver medal), Kiria Tapia of Puerto Rico (Gold medal), Celeste Peralta of Argentina (Bronze medal) and Sandra Bizier of Canada (Bronze medal) pose with their medals after competing in the women’s lightweight boxing final at the XVI Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, on October 29, 2011. Photo: Raul Arboleda/Getty Images

(L-R) Silver medalist Yenebier Guillen of Dominican Republic, Gold Medal winner Mary Spencer of Canada, and Bronze Medal winners Roseli Feitosa of Brazil and Alma Ibarra of Mexico, stand at the podium after receiving their awards in the women’s super middleweight category in the XVI Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, on October 28, 2011. Photo: Cris Bouroncle/Getty Images

(L-R) Domincan Republic Silver medalist Dagoberto Aguero, Cuban Gold medal winner Robeisy Ramirez, and Bronze medalists Braulio Avila of Mexico and Juliao Henriques of Brazil celebrate on the podium after receiving their medals for competing in the men’s Light weight category at the XVI Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, on October 29, 2011. Photo: Raul Arboleda/Getty Images

(L-R) Silver medalist Oscar Valdez of Mexico, Gold Medal winner Lazaro Alvarez of Cuba, and Bronze Medal winners Angel Rodriguez of Venezuela and Jesus de Robenilson of Brazil stand at the podium to receive their awards in the men’s bantamweight category. Photo: Cris Bouroncle/Getty Images

Silver Medalist Jaime Cortez of Ecuador, Gold Medal winner Emilio Correa of Cuba, and Bronze Medalists Brody Blair of Canada and Juan Rodriguez of Venezuela, stand at the podium after receiving their awards in the men’s middleweight category at the XVI Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, on October 28, 2011. Photo: Cris Bouroncle/Getty Images

Silver medalist Valentino Knowles of the Bahamas, Gold Medal winner Roniel Iglesias of Cuba, and Bronze Medalists Everton Lopez of Brazil and Yoelvis Hernandez of Venezuela, stand at the podium after receiving their awards in the men’s light-welterweight category at the XVI Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, on October 28, 2011. Photo: Cris Bouroncle/Getty Images

(L-R) Juan Hiracheta of Mexico (Silver medal), Ytalo Perea of Equador (Gold medal), Isaias Mena of Columbia (Bronze medal) and Gerardo Bisbal of Puerto Rico pose with their medals after competing in the men’s heavyweight finals (200+) of the XVI Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, on October 29, 2011. Photo: Raul Arboleda/Getty Images

(L-R) Brazilian Yamaguchi Florentin (Silver medal), Cuban Julio La Cruz (Gold medal), Ecuadorian Carlos Gongora (Bronze medal) and Mexican Armando Pina (Bronze medal) pose on the podium with their medals after competing in the men’s cruiserweight finals during the XVI Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, on October 29, 2011. Photo: Raul Arboleda

(L-R) Oscar Molina representing Mexico (Silver medal), Carlos Banteurt of Cuba (Gold medal), Myke Carvalho of Brazil (Bronze medal) and Mian Hussain of Canada (Bronze medal) pose with their medals after competing in the men’s super lightweight final at the XVI Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, on October 29, 2011. Photo: Raul Arboleda/Getty Images

Canadian Mandy Bujold celebrates her Gold medal victory in the women’s flyweight final at the XVI Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, on October 29, 2011. Photo: Raul Arboleda/Getty Images

Colombian Ingrid Valencia celebrates her Silver medal victory in the women’s flyweight final at the XVI Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, on October 29, 2011. Photo: Raul Arboleda/Getty Images