VIDEO 3 MONTHS SINCE ASU2025: THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE JUNIOR PAN AMERICAN GAMES

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Today marks three months since the inauguration of the continent’s biggest sporting event for young people, the ASU Games 2025. More than 4,000 athletes from 41 countries took part in this event, which, after its second edition, is now firmly established in our region and around the world.

Panam Sports invites you to watch a video from the management perspective, recalling what this event was like, which marked a turning point for Paraguay and for continental sports.

There have only been positive reports at Panam Sports about the Junior Pan American Games since their creation in 2021.

Athletes between the ages of 14 and 23, who a few years ago were not considered for a sporting event of this nature, now have a mega event created exclusively for them, with televised competitions, direct qualification for the Adult Pan American Games, and world-class organization.

In 2021, the festival was held for the first time in Cali, Colombia, and in 2025, Asunción was in charge of opening its doors and welcoming the best athletes on the continent.

The numbers don’t lie: Asunción 2025 saw the participation of more than 4,000 athletes from 41 countries on the continent. During the competition, 95 new Pan American junior records were set, including one world record, 242 direct qualifications were awarded for the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima, and the Games had more than 4 million views on the Panam Sports Channel alone.

Paraguay, for its part, also had a very positive outcome after organizing this event. Asunción was visited by 86% more tourists during the Games, and had a total economic impact of $431 million. In addition, more than 600 jobs were created.

Numbers aside, perhaps the most important legacy is intangible. It is one that remains in the minds and souls not only of the thousands of athletes, but also of the entire Pan American family and an entire country that, for 17 days of competition, vibrated with this sporting event that is unique in the world.

“For me, this is the project I like the most (from Panam Sports), because I believe that the legacy is to leave opportunities for young people, and it is being achieved,” says President Neven Ilic.

“To feel that sport is a way of life, that it is a beautiful path, a path that generates values, that generates effort, that generates hope, that will help you today, but that will help you much more in the future. We are expressing our responsibility as a sports organization to create opportunities for our athletes,” adds the head of Panam Sports.

The secretary general of the Pan American Sports Organization, Jimena Saldaña, shared a similar opinion, assuring that the intention of this great event is to not leave young athletes alone in their sports careers.

“This is a generation we couldn’t afford to neglect. Now we are promoting greater support, with a view to the 2027 Games in Lima. It is very important that we already have qualified athletes and that we know we have to invest in them, take care of them, support them in their preparation, and the idea is to close the sporting gap that characterizes the infinite differences we have on our continent, but which are consolidated and strengthened in sport,” said Jimena Saldaña.

We invite you to watch the following video, which reminds us of the successful II ASU2025 Junior Pan American Games, with testimonials from Panam Sports President Neven Ilic, Secretary General Jimena Saldaña, and Paraguayan Olympic Committee President Camilo Pérez.