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• 07 / 23 / 2007

The athletics tournament of the 15th Pan Am Games will begin on Monday with five gold medals offer at Joao Havelange Olympic Stadium.

The five gold medal events on Monday are women's hammer throw, women's pole vault, women's 10,000 meters, women's discus throw and men's 5,000 meters.

Cuban Yipsi Morena is one of the stars in the women's hammer throw. She is the defending champion of the event and also won a silver medal in Winnipeg Pan American Games in 1999.

As for the women's pole vault, Chilen Carolina Torres, who won a silver four years ago, is a strong candidate for the title as current champion Melissa Mueller of the United States will not defend her title this time.

The third final of Monday is women's 10,000 meters. Colombian Bertha Sanchez, bronze medalist in Santo Domingo 2003, is one of the favorites. Leticia Nora Rocha of Mexico, who won the gold in Winnipeg 1999, is also competing.

The women's discus will see the fight mainly between the United States and Cuba. United States won the gold in the last two Pan American Games but Yania Ferrales of Cuba is the only medalist from last two Pan Am Games who will compete in the Rio 2007.

The last gold medal of Monday will be awarded for the men's 5,000 meters.

Source: people.com.cn