Bach had urged the country to set its sights high after attending the first few days of Santiago 2023, including the Opening Ceremony last Friday (October 20). 

"My advice would be that once we finish these Games successfully, they should begin to set the next goal," he had told organisers.

"And among them could be the Olympic Games or other events of this nature."

Bubka, an IOC member and Olympic gold medallist and world record holder in the pole vault, echoed Bach’s comments while speaking at a press conference.

The 59-year-old Ukrainian agreed with Bach's assessment, expressing how impressed he was by what he had seen so far in Chile's capital.

“Thank you for this invitation, which has allowed me to get to know the venues and appreciate the sport,” Bubka said.

“It's a great Games and congratulations on that.

“The infrastructure that these Games are leaving behind is key to the development and massification of sport.

"With these facilities, they can achieve significant improvements."

Chile was recently put out of the picture for hosting the 2030 World Cup when the joint bid of which it was a part was rejected in favour of another joint bid involving Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

it was also not chosen, alongside its co-bidders Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to stage the first three matches to mark the centenary of the first tournament in South America in 1930. 

Sitting alongside Bubka at the press conference, Cuba’s Mijaín López, a four-time Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling, was full of praise for the facilities created within the National Stadium Park, which he and the other former athletes present had toured earlier in the day.

"Chile has been doing everything for a few years to make these Games perfect,” he said.

“Since the Opening Ceremony there has been an impeccable organisation, the facilities are spectacular."

Meanwhile, looking ahead to the athletics competition, Cuba’s world high jump record holder Javier Sotomayor commented "There are high-level athletes here.

“I think there are going to be good results, for sure some Pan American records will be broken.

"This country is making a beautiful and spectacular Pan American Games and this is a great legacy that will remain for all its people.”

 Panam Sports President Neven Ilic added: "It's a tremendous honour to have these great athletes.

“I've admired them all my life and it's a pleasure to be able to make them feel at home."