LatAm seek to improve on London 2012 results at Rio Olympics

Latin America and the Caribbean are seeking to improve on the results they obtained four years ago at the Olympic Games in London, where the total the region won 58 medals.

Even though there were several disappointments among the Latin American and Caribbean athletes in London, the fact that this time they will be competing in their own continent suggests that the results could improve.

Cuba was the country that had the best results from the region in London, with five golds. This was three more than they obtained at Beijing 2008.

The Caribbean island achieved Olympic glory in four sports: boxing with Robeisy Ramirez and Roniel Iglesias, wrestling with Mijain Lopez, judo with Idalis Ortiz and shooting with Leuris Pupo.

The Cuban side also won a medal for the very first time in pole vaulting when athlete Yarisley Silva took home the silver medal.

Cuba finished the international sporting event in 15th place with 14 podium finishes, 10 less than they managed in Beijing, even though with three more golds.

The Latin American country with the most medals in London was Brazil with 17 in total. Three of these medals were gold - gymnastics with Arthur Zanetti, judo with Sarah Menezes and women's volleyball. This was exactly the same amount of gold medals that the South American team won in Beijing, where they came home with 15 medals in total.

As hosts, the Brazilian delegation has the great challenge of finishing among the top sporting powers on the planet and leading the Latin American medal table. Brazil's main objectives will be to win the gold in men's soccer, the only title the South American country's soccer team have never won.

Cuba and Brazil were the only countries from Latin America and the Caribbean to win more than one gold medal in London. Other countries from the region returned home with one gold medal - Argentina, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

When counting up all the medals, Colombia came third in the region with eight medals. Mariana Pajon's gold medal in BMXing was added to the three silvers in cycling, weightlifting and athletics and four bronze medals in judo, taekwondo, wrestling and cycling.

With these medals, Colombia achieved its best result ever in Olympic history, beating the three medals they won in Munich 1972.

Mexico was the fourth best country in the region in terms of total medals with seven: a gold in men's soccer after defeating Brazil, three silvers in diving and archery and three bronze medals also in diving and archery as well as taekwondo.

Argentina's Sebastian Crismanich managed to win one gold medal in taekwondo while the Dominican Republic athlete Felix Sanchez won the 400 meters hurdle and Venezuela's Ruben Limardo took home the gold in the individual epee fencing competition.

However, Guatemala made history in London by achieving a podium finish for the very first time in an Olympic Games. Erick Barrondo, came second in the 20 kilometres walk.

In London, Latin America and the Caribbean reached its 500 medal in the history of the Games. Brazilian gymnast Arthur Zanetti was the one to achieve this milestone and it was also the first time that someone from the region had won a medal in gymnastics. Endit