The road to Rio 2016 goes through the Pan Am Games

For some of the 719 Canadian athletes competing at the Pan Am Games, a victory in their event could be their golden ticket to 2016 Summer Olympics.

A world-class performance in Toronto might very well translate into showcasing skills on the global stage next year in Rio de Janeiro. Pan Am results will have a big effect on the 2016 Olympic qualification process. Several of those events will mean a direct bid to Summer Games.

Spoiler alert: Brazil is the lone nation that has already qualified in nearly every sport.

At the 2012 London Games, the 281-athlete Canadian contingent won 18 medals (one gold, five silver, 12 bronze). They will look to best that total when they compete in Brazil next August.

For now, though, it’s all about Canada, who won 30 gold and 119 medals overall at the 2011 Pan Am Games, owning the podium on their home turf.

Will they show their mettle in the final Pan Am medal count, and run rings around the competition? We’ll find out soon enough.

Direct Qualifiers (in alphabetical order)

Canoe/Kayak Slalom: The winner of the men's and women's competition (K-1 W, K-1 M, C-1 M) get Olympic berths.

Diving: The winner(s) of the three-metre and 10-metre events qualify.

Dressage: The gold medal-winning nation qualifies.

Eventing: Canada jumped its way to an Olympic spot at the World Equestrian Games last year. The top-ranked team that has not qualified as of yet, will qualify for the Olympics.

Field Hockey: The gold medal winner of the men's and women's competition qualify for the Olympics.

Handball: Men’s and women's winners qualify.

Modern Pentathlon: The top-five men and top-five women qualify their nation. Note: there is a maximum of two spots per country.

Sailing: Canada has already qualified in both men's Laser and women's Laser Radial. There are two additional Olympic spots up for grabs.

Shooting: There are 20 spots available between 15 different events.

Show Jumping: The nation that earns gold qualifies (the U.S. have already qualified for Rio).

Synchronized swimming: The winner in the Duet event qualifies for the Olympics.

Table Tennis: There are a total of nine spots in the singles for the Olympics.

Triathlon: The winner of the men's and women's competition qualify.

Water Polo: The gold medal winner in the men's competition qualifies.