RIO DE JANEIRO, August 20 – Besides the pioneering nature of the Parapan American Games Rio 2007, which were for the first time ever staged in the same city as, using the same structure, and immediately after the Pan American Games, the last edition of the event also feature a novelty in the medal tally. After the Mexican prevalence in the two previous official editions (Mexico City 1999 and Mar del Plata 2003) Brazil confirmed its evolution in sport, as displayed in the XV Pan American Games Rio 2007, and finished in first place in the overall classification.

With a total of 228 medals (83 gold medals, 68 silver medals, and 77 bronze medals), the Brazilian delegation easily led the competition. The host country achieved 34 first places more than the runner-up nation (Canada) plus witnessed a 38.18% increase in the total number of medals in comparison to the Mar del Plata Games (from 165 medals to 228).
Brazil had some of the main winners at the Games. Swimmer Daniel Dias became the athlete with most victories at the competition (eight gold medals out of the eight events in which he participated). There were also impressive performances by swimmers Clodoaldo Silva (seven gold medals and one silver medal) and André Brasil (six gold medals, one silver medal, and one bronze medal).

Canada and the United States also showed significant improvement in relation to the Games’ previous edition, who respectively climbed from the 5th and 6th positions in Mar del Plata to the 2nd and 3rd places in RIO 2007. Mexico and Argentina, on the other hand, had a drop in production: The Mexicans fell from the first to the fourth overall position in the medal count, and the Argentineans finished in sixth place in opposition to the third place achieved in 2003.

This edition of the Parapan American Games also witnessed an increase in the number of countries that managed to climb onto the podium: Eighteen nations won medals at RIO 2007, which is three more than in the previous two editions.

Two nations had the joy of winning Parapan American medals for the first time: Paraguay (bronze in football 5-a-side) and Panamá in athletics (5000m - T13).