A Step Away (1980)

The only and official movie of the VIII Puerto Rico 1979 PanAmerican Games

02/01/1980

Overview

Focuses on the performance of various elite athletes during the PanAmerican Games held in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1979. Athletes showcased in the documentary include USA team swimmer of Puerto Rican origin Jesse Vassallo; legendary Cuban track and field athlete Alberto Juantorena; Mexican diver Carlos Girón; American diver Greg Louganis; and the Puerto Rico national basketball team, among others. At the end of the film, the athletes expressed their hopes of being "a step away" from the 1980 Olympics Games; however, these hopes were shattered by the political crisis and the eventual USA-led boycott to the Olympic Games held in Moscow in 1980.