1981 Bolivarian Games

IX Bolivarian Games

Host city	Barquisimeto, Lara
Country	Venezuela
Nations	6
Athletes	1516
Events	18 sports
Opening	December 4, 1981 (1981-12-04)
Closing	December 14, 1981 (1981-12-14)
Opened by	Luís Herrera Campins
Torch lighter	Carmen Militza Pérez
Main venue	Estadio de Barquisimeto

The IX Bolivarian Games (Spanish: Juegos Bolivarianos) were a multi-sport event held between December 4–14, 1981, at the Estadio de Barquisimeto[1] in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. The Games were organized by the Bolivarian Sports Organization (ODEBO).[2] In February 1980, Barquisimeto was chosen to substitute the initial host city Lima in Perú. The Comité Olímpico Peruano renounced because of financial problems.

The Games were officially opened by Venezuelan president Luís Herrera Campins.[1] Torch lighter was fencer Carmen Militza Pérez.[3]

A detailed history of the early editions of the Bolivarian Games between 1938 and 1989 was published in a book written (in Spanish) by José Gamarra Zorrilla, former president of the Bolivian Olympic Committee, and first president (1976–1982) of ODESUR.[1] Gold medal winners from Ecuador were published by the Comité Olímpico Ecuatoriano.[4]

A critical comment was published.[5]

Participation

A total of 1516 athletes from 6 countries were reported to participate:[1]

•  Bolivia
•  Colombia
•  Ecuador
•  Panama
•  Peru
•  Venezuela

Sports

The following 18 sports were explicitly mentioned:[1]

• Aquatic sports
  • Diving (details)
  • Swimming (details)
• Athletics (details)
• Baseball (details)
• Basketball (details)
• Bowling (details)
• Boxing (details)
• Cycling
  • Road cycling (details)
  • Track cycling (details)
• Fencing (details)
• Football (details)
• Gymnastics (artistic) (details)
• Judo (details)
• Shooting (details)
• Softball (details)
• Table tennis (details)
• Tennis (details)
• Volleyball (details)
• Weightlifting (details)
• Wrestling (details)

Medal count

The medal count for these games is tabulated below.[6] This table is sorted by the number of gold medals earned by each country. The number of silver medals is taken into consideration next, and then the number of bronze medals.

1981 Bolivarian Games medal count
Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Venezuela	140	91	67	298
2	Colombia	39	52	53	144
3	Panama	25	22	34	81
4	Peru	16	37	40	93
5	Ecuador	12	28	28	68
6	Bolivia	3	7	17	27
Total		234	233	241	708

References

1. Gamarra Zorrilla, José, Bolivia Olímpica Capítulos VI al VIII (PDF) (in Spanish), ANDES Academia del Conocimiento y el Desarrollo "Fernando Diez de Medina", retrieved October 22, 2012
2. Historia de los Juegos Deportivos Bolivarianos. EABolivia (2009-11-13). Retrieved on 2009-11-27.
3. Quintero, Rinolfo (July 22, 2012), Carmen Milizta Pérez: Reina de las pedanas (in Spanish), El Impulso, retrieved January 17, 2013
4. CUADRO DE MEDALLISTAS ECUATORIANOS EN LA HISTORIA DE LOS J. D. B. POR EDICIÓN (PDF) (in Spanish), Comité Olímpico Ecuatoriano, archived from the original (PDF) on June 8, 2012, retrieved October 22, 2012
5. Jaimes C., Humberto (December 15, 1981), Cómo y por qué fue Colombia a los IX Juegos Bolivarianos (in Spanish), El Tiempo, p. 5 (original page no.: 6–7), retrieved January 17, 2013
6. RESULTADOS - IX Juegos Bolivarianos. Barquisimeto - Venezuela, 1981 (in Spanish), Comité Organizador de los Juegos Deportivos Bolivarianos 2005, archived from the original on October 11, 2007, retrieved January 16, 2013