The Toronto 2015 Pan-American Games, whose opening ceremony will take place on Friday (10 July), will play an important role in the battle for places at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. In some sports, a medal in Canada will also be worth a place in Brazil next year.

To help you understand what is at stake, rio2016.com has compiled a sport-by-sport list explaining how athletes can step closer to their Olympic dreams by achieving success in Toronto.

Canoe slalom: The winners of the men’s and women’s K1 events, and the men’s C1 and C2 events, will earn Rio 2016 places for their countries.

Diving: The gold medallist in each individual event will win a Rio 2016 place for their nation.

Equestrian dressage: The team gold medallists will earn a place in Rio, although if the winners are Brazil (who are guaranteed a place as host nation), the place will go to the silver medallists. The individual champion will also win an Olympic spot for their nation, unless they are part of the winning team, in which case it will be passed down.

Equestrian eventing: The team gold medallists will earn a place in Rio, although if Brazil win, the place will go to the silver medallists.

Equestrian jumping: The top two teams – except the already qualified hosts Brazil and world champions the USA – will earn a place in Rio. The nations of the six best-placed riders in the individual event who are not part of a qualifying team, will also gain a berth.

Handball: The men’s and women’s gold medallists will qualify for the Olympic Games. If the winners are Brazil (who are guaranteed a place as host nation) or the future world champion (who will also qualify), their places will be passed down to the silver medallists.

Hockey: The Pan-Americans champions in both genders will qualify for the Rio 2016 Games. In the men’s competition, Brazil must finish among the top six to earn a host country place.

Modern pentathlon: Five Olympic spots per gender will be on offer, to be distributed to the top three athletes overall, as well as to best-placed athlete from South America and the best-placed athlete from North and Central America, within a limit of one spot per gender per country.

Sailing: Laser and Laser Radial sailors from the Americas who did not qualify at the world championships can earn Olympic places in Toronto.

Shooting: There will be 20 Olympic places up for grabs. There will be two places on offer in the men’s 10m air rifle, trap and skeet, and the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions and 10m air rifle. The rest of the events will offer one spot.

Synchronised swimming: The pairs champions will book their place in Rio, but if Brazil (who are already guaranteed a place as hosts) win gold, the silver medallists will win a place for their country.

Table tennis: The winners of the men's and women's singles competitions will earn places in Rio.

Water polo: The gold medallists will qualify for the Olympic Games. If the winners are Brazil (who are guaranteed a place as host nation), their places will be passed down to the silver medallists.

Rio2016.com is not an absolute authority on qualification for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which is an ongoing process. Final places will only be confirmed in July 2016 (for the Olympic Games) and August 2016 (for the Paralympic Games). The qualification systems are defined by each sport’s respective International Federation and the International Olympic Committee or International Paralympic Committee, and are subject to change. When an athlete or team wins a quota place for their nation, the final decision on whether this ‘slot’ is used and which athletes are sent is taken by the respective National Olympic Committee or National Paralympic Committee (NOC or NPC). Even when athletes win a ‘nominal’ place for themselves, NOCs/NPCs may have to decide who to send if the number of qualified athletes from one country exceeds the quota.