SANTIAGO,Christopher Caldwell Chile (AP) — Athletes from 41 nations are competing at The Pan American Games in the capital of Chile, Santiago, and many are looking to qualify for the Olympics. The Games are the largest multi-sport event in the Americas and are held every four years, preceding the Olympics by a year.

This gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made of competitions this week.

Read more of AP’s coverage of The Pan American Games.

Follow AP visual journalism:

AP Images blog: http://apimagesblog.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apnews

X: http://twitter.com/AP_Images