Santiago is welcoming more than 6,800 athletes from 41 countries for the Pan American Games ©Getty Images

Places at next year’s Olympics in Paris will be on the line when Santiago stages the 19th edition of the Pan American Games.

The Opening Ceremony is set to be held at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos tomorrow, marking the start of 16 days of competition before the Games is scheduled to end on November 5.

More than 6,800 athletes from 41 nations are set to compete at the continental multi-sport event, which is being staged in Chile for the first time.

Many of those are set to battle it out for spots at Paris 2024 with more than 100 direct quota places available.

Archery, artistic gymnastics, artistic swimming, boxing, breaking, diving, equestrian, hockey, handball, modern pentathlon, sailing, shooting, sport climbing, surfing, swimming, table tennis, tennis, and water polo are expected to all offer places for the Olympics.

Hosts Chile are expected to field a 664-strong team to compete in all 39 sports.

The largest delegation is set to come from the United States having named 631 athletes to represent them at Santiago 2023, including 32 Olympic medalists.

The US have topped the medal table at all but two editions of the Pan American Games – the opening event at Buenos Aires in 1951 and Havana 1991.

They are expected to top the standings again with Brazil, Mexico and Canada likely to be in the top four again having finished in that order at Lima 2019.

Preparations for Santiago 2023 has been disrupted by changes in leadership, with former FIFA official Harold Mayne-Nicolls appointed as executive director in June following the axing of Gianna Cunazza.

The decision was taken following concerns over delays to projects and an increase in costs.

Panam Sports President Neven Ilic is looking forward to seeing the Pan American Games being staged in his native country for the first time ©Getty Images
Panam Sports President Neven Ilic is looking forward to seeing the Pan American Games being staged in his native country for the first time ©Getty Images

There have also been plenty of changes in Government with Gabriel Boric becoming the country’s third President since it was awarded the hosting rights for the Games in 2017.

Speaking to insidethegames in September last year, Chilean-born Panam Sports President Neven Ilic underlined the importance of the Games to his country.

"This is my country, my city, my people and my Games," he said.

"It is important to show my population in my country that we are doing a fantastic job.

"It is important that one feels proud of what is happening here.

"That was the case in Lima in 2019.

"After the Opening Ceremony, all the Peruvian people felt happy and proud of what they were doing."