With the games over, the multiple analyses of Cubas performance will begin back home.

One of the most memorable feats during the competitions came from Zulia Calatayud, the world champion runner who has been plagued by injuries gave her all to give her country the victory in the 4X400 relay races and bronze in the 800. Other great stories were Gerardo Ortiz who won a gold medal in Taekwondo while fighting his last bout with a seriously injured leg and Mariela Gonzalez who won the womens marathon against rivals with far better times.

It will be a long time before anybody forgets the womens volleyball team that came from behind to beat the powerful Brazilian team before a cheering home crowd. Other unprecedented achievements were Yagniel Velasquezs silver medal in the Pentathlon, and Adrian Puentes, who pushed the United States out of a gold medal in individual archery for the first time.

Cuba competed in 245 of the 324 events, while Brazilian athletes were present in all 324. The islands delegation was marked by its youth, with 70 percent competing in their first Pan Am Games.

The performance of the Cubans in Rio de Janeiro was far superior to that of the 2006 Cartagena Central American and Caribbean Games when Cuba created concern among the islands sports community by finishing first with just 137 gold medals to Mexicos 107.

This great result warrants an equally thorough analysis to help identify and fill any voids that exist today. Here are a few preliminary questions:

What has led to the regeneration of the judo team and its prolific medal earnings while artistic gymnastics has gone downhill? Why did our boxers receive so many hard blows, seldom seen before these games? With many of our athletes having recently recorded marks among the worlds best, why didnt they come near those marks at such an important competition?

Answers to these and many more questions will surely be revealed in the analysis by the prestigious coaches, trainers and specialists who form part of the Cuban sports organization, a body that doesnt steal talent or buy athletes but is comprised entirely of athletes born in the country they represent.