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 and Venezuela. In 2010, the ODEBO decided to include Chile as the seventh member of ODEBO. 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,Creacion . Juegos Bolivarianos. Retrieved on 2009-11-27. 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.Historia de los Juegos Deportivos Bolivarianos. EABolivia (2009-11-13). Retrieved on 2009-11-27.
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).
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.
Summary Games Year Ed. Host city Host country Period Sports Events 1938 1 BogotáAlfonso López Pumarejo 6–22 Aug 6 17 84 1948 2 LimaJosé Luís Bustamante y Rivero 25 Dec – 8 Jan 6 22 112 1951 3 CaracasGermán Suárez Flamerich 5–21 Dec 6 22 108 1961 4 BarranquillaAlberto Lleras Camargo 3–16 Dec 5 12 145 1965 5 QuitoRamón Castro Jijón 20 Nov – 6 Dec 6 20 142 1970 6 MaracaiboRafael Caldera 23 Aug – 6 Sep 6 17 189 1973 7 Panama CityDemetrio Basilio Lakas 17 Feb – 3 Mar 5 16 173 1977 8 La PazHugo Banzer 15–29 Oct 6 16 185 1981 9 BarquisimetoLuís Herrera Campins 4–14 Dec 6 18 233 1985 10 CuencaLeón Febres Cordero 9–18 Nov 6 20 230 1989 11 MaracaiboJaime Lusinchi 14–25 Jan 6 20 262 1993 12 CochabambaJaime Paz Zamora 24 Apr – 2 May 6 19 275 1997 13 ArequipaAlberto Fujimori 17–26 Oct 6 22 318 2001 14 Ambato Roberto Hanze 7–16 Sep 6 29 377 2005 15 Armenia and PereiraÁlvaro Uribe 12–21 Aug 6 28 415 2009 16 SucreEvo Morales 15–26 Nov 6 30 435 2013 17 TrujilloOllanta Humala 16–30 Nov 11 44 562 2017 18 Santa Marta Clara Luz Roldán 11–25 Nov 11 34 469 2022 19 Valledupar 24 Jun – 5 July 11 32 389 2024 20 Ayacucho Dina Boluarte 29 Nov-8 Dec 10 25 159 2025 21 Ayacucho and Lima Renzo Manyari 22 Nov- 7 Dec 17 47 480 2029 22 Cúcuta TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA
Beach Games Year Games Host City Host Country Opened by Dates Nations Events Top medallingnation 2012 1 Lima Patricia Salas 1–11 Nov 10 64 2014 2 Huanchaco Gloria Montenegro Figueroa 3–12 Dec 11 71 2016 3 Iquique 24 Nov-3 Dec 11 8120194Vargascolspan=5 Notes
Youth Games Year Games Host City Host Country Opened by Dates Nations Events Top medallingnation 2024 1 Sucre Luis Arce 4–14 Apr 7 234 Colombia20272CaracasTBA2- 17 November 2027TBATBATBA
Sports The following table was compiled based on information extracted from a variety of sources. 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 22WorldSouth America Diving AQUA ASUA X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Open water swimming X X X Swimming X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Synchronized swimming X X X X Water polo X X X X X X X X Archery WA AAF X X X X X X Athletics World Athletics CONSUDATLE X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Badminton BWF BPA X X X X Baseball WBSC WBSC Americas X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Softball X X X X X X X X X X Basketball FIBA FIBA Americas X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 3x3 Basketball X Basque Pelota/Pelota Nacional FIPV X X X X Billiards WCBS CPB X X X X X X Bodybuilding IFBB IFBBSud America X Bola Criollas FIB X Bowling IBF PABCON X X X X X X X X X X X X Boxing World Boxing AMBC X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Equestrianism X Canoeing PW COPAC X X X X X X Chess FIDE CCA X X X X X X X Climbing World Climbing X X X Coleo X BMX racing UCI COPACI X X X X X Mountain biking X X X X X Road cycling X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Track cycling X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Equestrian FEI PAEC X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Fencing FIE CPE X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Field hockey FIH PAHF X Football FIFA CONMEBOL X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Futsal X X X X Golf IGF FSG X X X X X X X Artistic gymnastics World Gymnastics CONSUGI X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Rhythmic gymnastics X X X X X X X Trampoline X X Handball IHF SCAHC X X X Judo IJF PJC X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Karate WKF PKF X X X X X X X X X Modern pentathlon UIPM X Racquetball IRF PARC X X X X X X Roller speed skating WS CPRS X X X Rowing FISA X X X X X Rugby World Rugby CONSUR X X X Sailing WS SASC X X X X X X X X X Shooting ISSF CAT X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Squash World Squash FPS X X X X X X Surfing ISA APAS X X X Table tennis ITTF LATTU X X X X X X X X X X X X X Taekwondo WTF PATU X X X X X X X X X X Tennis World Tennis COSAT X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Triathlon TRI PATCO X X X X X X Finswimming CMAS X Freediving X Spearfishing X Beach volleyball FIVB CSV X X X X X Volleyball X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Water skiing IWWF IWWF Pan Am X X X X Weightlifting IWF PAWC X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Wrestling UWW CPLA X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Wushu IWUF PAWF X Total sports 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.
Nations
Core (6) ODEBO (Organización Deportiva Bolivariana) / Andean Community (Andean States):
Bolivia Colombia Ecuador Panama Peru Venezuela
Invited Nations (5) The invited countries are not members of ODEBO but they are invited since 2013 Central America El Salvador Guatemala Caribbean Dominican Republic South America Chile Paraguay
Members ODEBO Members of the National Olympic Committees include:
NameOlympic CommitteeAdmitted inBolivian Olympic Committee1938Chilean Olympic Committee2010Colombian Olympic Committee1938Ecuadorian National Olympic Committee1938Panama Olympic Committee1938Peruvian Olympic Committee1938Venezuelan Olympic Committee1938
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 CountRankNationGoldSilverBronze Total118771585121846802160614161162418436707539622385445171010792240519619934173661541692405637113199440752860591292489487410622810233236911115222663Total52135218573916170
All time records Colombia holds the record for the highest number of gold medals won for a country in a single edition, obtaining 213 gold medals at the 2017 Bolivarian Games in Santa Marta as the host nation. Colombia holds the record for the biggest lead of gold medals to second place, obtaining a margin of 119 gold medals over Venezuela in Santa Marta 2017. Colombia holds the record for the biggest lead of total medals to second place, 168 medals more than Venezuela in 2017. Venezuela holds the record for the highest number of total medals obtained in a single edition with 476 in the 2009 Bolivarian Games in Sucre.
Beach Games (2012-2016)
Bolivarian Games Medal CountRankNationGoldSilverBronze Total158504615424846381323483547130430242983519403796663615739921836514913610100022110000Total216216215647
Youth Games (2024)
Sport in Americas Sport in North America Sport in South America See also Andean Community Latin America Southern Cone Pan American Games Parapan American Games Central American and Caribbean Games Central American Games South American Games Ibero American Games Caribbean Games ALBA Games American frontier The Guianas Caribbean South America Caribbean Free Trade Association Central American Integration System Community of Latin American and Caribbean States Mercosur Union of South American Nations Market access Free trade area Trade bloc Free Trade Area of the Americas
References
External links 2001 Bolivarian Games results 2005 Bolivarian Games official website 2009 Bolivarian Games official website