Cuba fielded its best athletes and easily topped the medal table, winning twelve gold medals and also having the greatest medal haul overall with a total of 30. The hosts, Brazil, took second place on the table having won nine golds and 23 medals overall. The United States – continuing its tradition of fielding a far from full strength squad – had its worst performance ever in the Pan American athletics competition. With six golds for third place, it finished outside the top two for the first time in Games history (although its medal total of 24 was one greater than second-placed Brazil). Canada and Mexico were the next most successful nations, placing fourth and fifth in the medal tally, respectively.
