The 9th South American Games opens amid a majestic ceremony in Medellin, Colombia
A majestic ceremony of lights, dance and fireworks opened the 9th South American Games in Medellin, Colombia. The delegations that will compete in 31 sports paraded around the track of the Atanasio Girardot Stadium. Some 3500 athletes representing 15 countries are slated to compete. Olympic champion of Colombia, Maria Isabel Urrutia passed the South American Flame to Medellin born Ximena Restrepo (Olympic bronze medallist 400 m runner in 1992), who lit the torch amid an audience of some 40000.
Weightlifting competition starts on 26 March.
