Written by Amanda Turner

2008 Olympian Jessica Lopez (Venezuela) won five gold medals and one bronze at the 16th Bolivian Games, held this week in Sucre, Bolivia.

2008 Olympian Jessica Lopez (Venezuela) won five gold medals and one bronze at the 16th Bolivian Games, held this week in Sucre.

Venezula and Colombia dominated the gymnastics competition, winning all but two individual medals.

Held every four years, the Bolivian Games honor Simón Bolívar, who was key to the political independence of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela in the 19th century. The 2009 edition featured more than 2,300 athletes in 36 sports.

Lopez led her team to a narrow victory over Colombia, 208.567-208.367. Ecuador won the bronze (193.633).

The University of Denver star won the all-around title over Colombian Olympian Nathalia Sanchez. Colombia's Jessica Gil, a finalist on floor exercise at the 2009 World Championships, won the bronze.

Lopez picked up three more golds in event finals.

"She broke all the previous records, winning five golds and bronze on vault," Denver coach Nilson Medeiros Savage told IG.

In the men's competition, Colombia's Jorge Hugo Giraldo won the all-around title over Venezuelan Jose Fuentes and Colombia's Didier Yamit Lugo Sichaca. Colombia (337.167) won the team gold over Venezuela (332.450) and Peru (302.720).

Venezulea nearly swept the apparatus finals. Fuentes won half the event titles, placing first on pommel horse, parallel bars and high bar. World Cup champion Regulo Carmona won the still rings title, and Fernando Fuentes won vault.

Lugo Sichaca won men's floor exercise for Colombia.

Peru won two medals in event finals. Britt Reusche, who lives and trains in California, won the floor exercise bronze for the women, and Mario Berrios was second on floor for the men.

-PIONEERS-