Renzo Manyari, President of the Peruvian Olympic Committee, talked to SportsIn on the first day of the ANOC General Assembly that is taking place in Cascais, Portugal, to exclusively preview ideas and projects that will see the light of day at the Lima 2027 Pan American Games. They say that the hardest thing is not to climb to the top, but to stay up there, and Manyari is aware of that since he has the challenge of surpassing the successful Games that Lima itself hosted in 2019. One of his aces up his sleeve lies with the family of the medalists, who will send a strong message to Peruvian society.
“We have a very high hurdle. The Lima 2019 Pan American Games were ranked as the biggest ever and now we are looking to improve the esteem and perspective that Lima is held in as a city that organizes multi-sport events. We want to bring athletes and their families closer and be a reference to our neighbors of the National Olympic Committees of South America by showing the sustainability of the project, the legacy it leaves for the city and the good economic, social and sporting data”, explains the Peruvian lawyer and leader.
A UNIQUE ROWING TRACK IN PERU
How to overcome in eight years an event of such magnitude? “The strength of Lima 2027 is the legacy as much of the infrastructure that will be used comes from Lima 2019 and is being used every day. Apart from that, the two big investments to be made are the two ten-story towers that have to be erected to meet the bed quota for this edition and the rowing track or canal that would be an unprecedented legacy for Peruvian sport,” he comments proudly. It will be one more point of connection of Peruvian sport with water, a liquid element that in Paris 2024 gave him a joy in the form of a medal thanks to sailing.
Although, undoubtedly, one of the strongest points of Lima 2027 will be -beyond the legacy in infrastructure- how it will mark Peruvian society to try to be a little better. “There will be meeting points between medalists and family members to enhance the message of the importance of family in the success of an athlete. This is a positive message that will be sent to Peruvian society and will be seen as a ‘role model’. It doesn’t have to be a Peruvian medalist, but anyone,” says Manyari, who sees an opportunity to inspire and set an example for healthy social growth.
100% PROTAGONISM FOR THE ATHLETE
In addition, the athlete will be the main protagonist whether competing or resting. “In the village there will also be a series of activations and services that will put the focus on the athlete so that he or she has everything at hand and feels at home and even makes the Peruvian culture their own so that they live the best possible experience in these Games.”
“The Pan American Games have to be for everyone”, emphasizes the president of the Peruvian Olympic Committee, who speaks of ‘legacy’, ‘sustainability’, ‘respect’, ‘fair Games’ as pillars of his speech to make Lima 2027 an even better event than Lima 2019.
