Santiago 2023 set to mark 1,000 days to go with countdown event

Panam Sports President Neven Ilic said preparations for the Games have continued well despite the coronavirus crisis ©Panam Sports

Panam Sports President Neven Ilic has said the organisation and Santiago 2023 are "100 per cent committed" to staging the Pan American Games in two years as they prepare to mark 1,000 days to go until the opening of the event.

Santiago 2023 is due to start exactly 1,000 days from today, and the Organising Committee has planned a countdown event for Monday (January 25) at the site which is set to house the Athletes' Village.

Attendance has been restricted because of the coronavirus pandemic but it is still set to be witnessed by community leaders, athletes and representatives of Chilean society.

Panam Sports said the Santiago 2023 Corporation, the Chilean Ministry of Sport and the Chilean Olympic Committee "have not rested" since the city was awarded the Games.

The body said organisers "continue to work at full speed" with their preparations despite the COVID-19 crisis.

"We have not even realised it and we are already 1,000 days away from Santiago 2023," said Ilic.

"Time flies by and we must not waste any time.

¡Comienza la cuenta regresiva! ⏰Hoy celebramos que estamos a 1.000 días de Santiago 2023, donde unidos por una pasión, viviremos el evento multideportivo más grande del país ??@MindepChile @INDChileOficial @TeamChile_COCH @paralimpicoCHI @PanamSports @ParalympicsAPC pic.twitter.com/Z6l10LvsI6
— Santiago 2023 (@santiago2023) January 23, 2021

"Both the Corporation, the Olympic Committee and the Government of Chile are 100 per cent committed to the Games and are, despite everything that comes with the COVID-19 pandemic, working tirelessly and have been moving forward with everything that we have requested.

"There is a lot of motivation and desire for everything to be fantastic and that the first Pan American Games to be held in Chile are historic and unforgettable."

The countdown event is set to take place in Cerrillos, where the Pan American Games Village will be constructed.

Panam Sports claims the Village "will be a significant milestone for the legacy that the Games will leave in the Chilean capital, not only in terms of infrastructure, but also a social, cultural and emotional legacy".

"We are less than three years away from one of the most important sporting events that we can enjoy in Chile," said Santiago 2023 President Cecilia Perez.

"We are very happy with the great progress, and even more happy with the legacy that the Para and Pan American Games will leave for sports, citizens and our entire country."

The ceremony will be the latest milestone for organisers after the programme for the Games was confirmed during the Panam Sports General Assembly last month.