Charron, one of three women in the team, will be competing at her second Pan American Games following her fourth-place finish at Lima 2019. 

Two years later in her Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020, Charron became only the second Canadian weightlifter - after Christine Girard, who will serve as Team Canada's Santiago 2023 Chef de Mission - to win an Olympic gold medal.

She finished top of the women's 64-kilograms event after lifting a total weight of 236kg.

Charron also won gold at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games after leading the Canadian delegation into the Opening Ceremony as the flag bearer.

Santiago 2023 will see Charron switching down to the 59kg category for the first time in a multi-sport Games because the 64kg category has been removed from the Olympic programme at the Paris 2024 Games.

She won gold in her new weight class at the 2023 Pan American Championships, held in Bariloche, Argentina earlier this year.

That followed a bronze medal in the 59kg event at the 2022 IWF World Championships last December.

"Major Games are always a wonderful experience," said Charron.

"I’m very excited to represent Team Canada for the second time at a Pan American Games."

Six athletes qualified for Team Canada based on their ranking from the 2023 season - and four of them will be making their Pan American Games debut.

Canada earned quotas for three men and three women through their team scores from the 2021 and 2022 Pan American Championships that took place in Ecuador and Colombia, respectively.

The other female weightlifters in the team are Amanda Braddock, who will compete in the 49kg category, and Maya Laylor, who is in the 81kg class.

The men selected are Nicolas Vachon in the 73kg category, Alex Bellemarre in the 89kg category and Noah Santavy in the 102kg category.

Bellemarre's build-up to the Games has included a third-place finish at the 2023 Pan American Championships.

"I’m very happy to represent Canada at my first Pan American Games and to have the opportunity to compete with the best of my continent," said Bellemarre.

Girard competed for Canada in weightlifting at three Pan American Games.

After her debut at Santo Domingo 2003, where she finished eighth, she went on to win two medals - silver at Rio 2007 and gold at Guadalajara 2011.

"As a former weightlifter myself, I know the dedication and determination it takes to excel in this sport," she said in a message.

"Let’s relish this moment and embrace the challenge."

While Santiago 2023 does not offer any direct Paris 2024 qualification opportunities, the young team will use the event as essential experience on their journey to next summer’s Olympic Games.

Weightlifting has been part of the Pan American Games program since 1951, but women’s weightlifting was not added until the Winnipeg 1999 edition.

The sport will take place October 21 to 24 at the Chimkowe Gymnasium.