One of the brightest medal hopes among the Canadian delegation will be shot putter Dylan Armstrong, who won gold at the 2007 games in Rio de Janeiro. He also won the silver medal in the men's shot put final at last month's World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea.

Christine Sinclair, the veteran striker who captained the women’s soccer team to third place in the 2007 Pan American Games, has been chosen to carry the Canadian flag in the opening ceremony in Guadalajara.

Canada will be looking to get one over their southern neighbors in the softball. The United States has defeated Canada in the last four Pan American Games so the latter country will be aching for revenge this year.

Canada’s Jacques Cardyn was the first chef de mission to arrive in the newly opened Pan American Village this week. Prior to the sports event, the chefs verify registration, accreditation, accommodation and other logistics issues.