The continent’s most important youth sporting event and a qualifier to the 2027 Pan American Games entered the arena yesterday. The capital of Paraguay celebrated the 500-day countdown to the start of the Games with the country’s top sports leaders and the Organizing Committee presenting the event to the world.
Yesterday in the Medalist Hall of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, the 500-day countdown to the most important continental youth sports event in the world — the Asuncion 2025 Junior Pan American Games — was celebrated with the country’s sport and government leaders, athletes and the media.
In an exciting ceremony, the Organizing Committee of the Games presented the plans for the sports festival while also launching the official Asu2025 logo.
The spirit of these Games was represented in the ceremony, as Paraguay’s top senior athletes such as Camila Pirelli and Benjamin Hopkins passed the baton to young athletes Nicole Martinez and Ivan Britos to lead the event, a demonstration of the brotherhood between different generations of athletes, with the youth becoming the stars of this continental event.
“The II Junior Pan American Games in 2025 represent a unique opportunity to celebrate youth talent and promote the values of sport in our region,” said Paraguay Olympic Committee President, Camilo Perez. “We are committed to delivering an exceptional event that inspires the next generation of athletes and fosters unity and camaraderie among participating countries,” added the IOC Member.
“Many years ago we realized that our countries needed important support for the new generations. Support in terms of coaches, development and above all the creation of high-level competitions. We believe that the Junior Pan American Games have come to close that bridge that is often so difficult to cross for young people who reach the age of eighteen and must decide whether or not to continue dedicating themselves to sport. Cali 2021 was a spectacular celebration where 220 athletes qualified for the Pan American Games, and the most beautiful thing is that many of them triumphed in Santiago 2023,” said Panam Sports President Neven Ilic.
A UNIQUE CELEBRATION FOR THE WORLD
From July 11 to 20, 2025, Asuncion will become the epicenter of youth sports, with more than 3,800 athletes competing across 31 sports and 50 disciplines at the II Junior Pan American Games of Asuncion 2025.
The Junior Pan American Games is the world’s only continental competition that brings together the best U-23 athletes with qualification to the most important multisport event in the Americas on the line, making the Games an unforgettable and and unique experience for young athletes.
Athletes will compete in a variety of disciplines, from athletics and swimming to judo and sailing, showing their talent and determination in search of sporting glory and, most importantly, seeking qualification to the 2027 Pan American Games.
The event will be held in two large parks, with the Olympic Park and the National Sports Secretariat serving as the main venues, offering world-class facilities and a vibrant atmosphere for competitors and spectators alike.
With the inauguration scheduled for July 11, 2025, excitement is building as Asuncion prepares to welcome thousands of athletes, coaches, judges, officials and fans from across the continent.
The II Junior Pan American Games in 2025 promise to be a milestone in the sports history of Paraguay, leaving a lasting legacy and inspiring future generations of athletes.
“We expect the best from Asuncion 2025 and as always, I think that the celebration we are going to experience will be a wonderful festival of development, of improvement, but above all, of brotherhood in a very beautiful environment like the one that Asuncion and Paraguay always deliver,” concluded President Neven Ilic.