U.S. Tops Medals With 271

The Pan American Games came to an end Sunday night in Santo Domingo amid tributes to the Dominican Republic’s success in pulling off the biggest event in its history.

“There is no small nation when there is pride and determination,” Pan American Sports Organization President Mario Vazquez Rana said in Olympic Stadium.

“Today we reached the finish line of these great and wonderful games. Thank you to the Dominican Republic.”

After the playing of the Dominican national anthem, the Olympic and Dominican flags were lowered, then the Pan Am torch was extinguished -- to be lighted again in four years in Rio de Janeiro.

Earlier, each nation’s flag bearer, including archer Glenn Meyers of Grand Rapids, Mich., for the United States, entered the 35,000-seat stadium together. Then came the athletes, country by country, with the Dominican Republic receiving a resounding ovation at the end.

The United States topped the medals table with 271 medals -- 115 gold, 81 silver, 75 bronze. Cuba was second with 152 -- 72 gold. Canada was third with 129, Brazil fourth with 120 and Mexico fifth with 80.

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Milton Wynants of Uruguay won the final gold medal of the competition, taking the men’s 121-mile road cycling race in 4 hours 32 minutes 41 seconds.

Cuba’s Pablo Perez finished second and Jose Medina of Chile took bronze. Both riders finished with the same time.

Colby Pearce of Boulder, Colo., was fifth in 4:33:22. Jamie Carney of Boulder, Colo., dropped out of the race after setting a fast early pace.