Let the Games begin: Thousands gather for Pan Am Games opening ceremony

Story and photos by The Canadian Press

The Pan Am Games kicked off with an audacious flourish Friday, featuring a dazzling Cirque du Soleil production, a constellation of the country’s most accomplished sports stars and the indelible sight of Canada’s fastest man Donovan Bailey base-jumping from Canada’s tallest structure, the CN Tower.

With 45,000 spectators packed into the sold-out Rogers Centre — called the Pan Am Ceremonies Venue for the duration of the Games — a pre-taped bit depicted members of Canada’s gold medal-winning 4×100-metre relay team from the 1996 Olympics trotting the torch around Toronto.

Carlton Chambers gave way to Robert Esmie, who passed the torch to Glenroy Gilbert — who passed the torch through some impressive pyrotechnics all the way up the CN Tower to Bruny Surin, who ran laps around the structure’s peak.

There, he passed the torch to Bailey — who promptly base-jumped off the 553-metre-high structure, parachuting onto the roof of the dome.

The pre-taped bit then transitioned to the live opening ceremony, with Bailey descending from the ceiling to pass the torch once more, to 15-year-old Canadian diver Faith Zacharias.

The parade of nations followed, with Canada’s contingent of 719 atheletes entering Rogers Centre last to a loud cheer. Third-generation paddler Mark Oldershaw, an Olympic bronze medallist in London, carried the Maple Leaf.

The ceremony was concluded by former NBA superstar Steve Nash. The Victoria product then trotted outside the venue, through hundreds of applauding onlookers, and finally dipped the torch, setting the Pan Am cauldron at the base of the CN Tower alight.

‘I haven’t been able to sleep for a week’

Weeks of nonchalance gave way to excitement and pride as thousands descended on downtown Toronto for the opening ceremony, officially kicking off the largest international multi-sport competition ever held in Canada.

Hordes of people carrying — and often wearing — flags from more than a dozen countries gathered outside the Rogers Centre, temporarily renamed the Pan Am Ceremonies Venue, hours before the sold-out show.

The thrill of seeing both her native country and her adopted one perform was almost too much to bear for Margarita Caropresi, 53, who came to Canada from Mexico 17 years ago.

“I haven’t been able to sleep for a week,” said Caropresi, who brought a small Mexican flag, beaded necklaces in the country’s colours and a pendant that includes both the Canadian and Mexican flags.

“This is a big thing in Latin America. Here it’s just like another game, but not for us — it’s the Pan Am. So we celebrate this as a serious thing. It’s kind of like the home Olympics.”

Robergo de Olivera, 39, came from Brazil to volunteer for the Games and said the chance to cheer for his country was “a dream come true.”

“Maybe I’ll cry too,” he said. “Because it’s emotional to see your country from outside. When you live there, you don’t feel the same, but when you go outside, you feel proud, because they represent you outside.”

Hometown pride was also in full force, with the crowd a sea of red and white. Some draped themselves in the Maple Leaf, while others opted for “Canada” shirts and hats.

Alison Eacock, who arrived hours early with a large Canadian flag, said the opening ceremony was the one Pan Am event she couldn’t miss.

“Just to see all the athletes coming in, that’s going to be really exciting,” she said.

The ceremony was also being broadcast on screens at Nathan Phillips Square outside city hall. Though the Games officially begin Friday, some competitions started as early as Tuesday.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper was set to join the thousands of spectators filling the stadium.

The prime minister stopped by the athletes village Friday afternoon to show his support for Canadian athletes. Dressed in a black tracksuit with “Canada” emblazoned on the back, Harper shook hands with several athletes then led the group in a “Go Canada” cheer.

Earlier Friday, the head of the Games organizing committee said if the event goes well, it could set the stage for the city to make another Olympic bid.

“If we do a good job, we’ll have the option of having Olympics; if we don’t do a good job and if the city doesn’t respond, we will not have that option,” David Peterson told a news conference.

Except for a large stadium, all of the facilities would be in place for an Olympic Games in the next 10 or 20 years, Peterson added.

“The timelines on these things are very long,” he said.

He said an Olympic bid is not the focus now, but if the Pan Am Games go well, a future leadership group could use them as the basis for another pitch for the Olympics.

“It takes an awful lot of political will, an awful lot of leadership and corporate and public co-operation,” said the former Ontario premier.

While ticket sales have been sluggish — about 850,000 of 1.4 million tickets for the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games have been sold — Peterson said he expects Pan Am sales will hit 90 per cent.

He also said he’s not concerned about the griping by locals over budget and traffic congestion as “it’s always the way” for this kind of event.

“There is no games in the world that haven’t had critics and cynics leading up to the opening day — it is totally predictable,” Peterson said. “What you’re seeing right now on the opening day, you’re seeing the positive buzz washing over all of that, you’re seeing it reflected in positive ticket sales, in the enthusiasm and in the energy.”

Some of those in attendance shared their favourite moments from the dazzling opening ceremony:

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With files from CityNews