A reflection on Panamas Olympic history as the Winter Games Commence in Italy.

Olympics! What an awesome weekend - the start of the Winter Olympics and the Super Bowl too? There are some serious celebrations happening around the world right now. Being in Panama, you wouldn't know either of these games are happening unless you're in a tourist hotel or bar. For a country of about 4.5 million, the size of Maine, and located in the tropics, it's no surprise nobody is celebrating the Winter Games here.

Panama has never competed in the Winter Olympic Games and in fact, the tropical nations of the world are not great breeding grounds for winter sports. Shocking right? There have been some great stories over the years of athletes from the tropics competing in the Winter Olympics but none have ever won a medal, which I actually find surprising.

Panama first appeared in the Summer Olympic Games in 1928, held in Amsterdam. The country sent a small delegation, marking the beginning of its Olympic journey. With minimal resources as compared to other nations they have faced stiff competition during their Summer Olympics participation. But, the Olympics has a way of rewarding grit, spirit, and determination which is why we all enjoy watching it so. The type of hope and inspiration created by the Olympic Games is what reminds us all of what's possible when given the opportunity to pursue our dreams.

As a result of that fighting spirit over almost a century, Panama has won four Olympic medals and if you had to guess, like me, you would guess track and field or football - which is really what soccer should be called and todays big game should be tackleball - am I right? So yes, 3 of the 4 medals were in track and field but get this: in 2024 a bad-ass woman named Atheyna Bylon won a silver medal in middleweight boxing.

Atheyna Bylon Olympic Silver Medalist in Boxing (Photo from the Olympic Committee of Panama)

Like many Latin American countries, the machismo culture still traditionally defines the gender roles and expectations in society and leadership so for Atheyna to have won in such a powerful and violent sport as boxing will undoubtedly be a great source of inspiration for women and help support an evolution of female roles in leadership and society.

With winter taking center stage for the next 2 weeks and snow and ice the dominating landscapes, Panama dominates the podium as the ultimate winter getaway for warmth, sun, and beach vibes.

We hope you enjoy the games while your tropical travel dreams include a stay with us in Panama. No time to plan? No problem, we take care of all the details for you with our all-inclusive packages.

With love from Panama, Cari and Ryan Mackey

Owners and hosts