San Salvador hosted one of these fights for the first time in 1935. Photo: taken from the History of El Salvador Facebook profile. Author: rebellious youth

Among all the multi-sport events in the world, the Central American and Caribbean Games (JCC) is the oldest regional event in existence, as well as the second oldest overall after the Olympic Games (refounded in 1896 by Baron Pierre). de Coubertin.

This time, the 24th fair, which will take place from June 23 to July 8 in San Salvador, will arrive a year later than planned, making it the third to have had to be postponed since its inception in 1926.

These games first missed a calendar slot in 1942 when they had to be canceled due to World War II.

Later, the release of Caracas, Venezuela, originally agreed between 2 and 18 December 1958, had to be postponed due to the tense political situation in that South American state. Therefore, this event took place from January 6 to 15, 1959, and this was the first year that the Central Caribbean Games coincided with the Pan American Games, as it will happen in 2023.

San Salvador under a magnifying glass

Ahead of the upcoming event, which will begin in El Salvador in less than two weeks, the president of its organizing committee, Yamil Bukele, said that more than 90 percent of sports facilities and grounds are already waiting for the starting pistol.

“There will be some small sections that we will finish later, but without a doubt, the conditions will be above 90 percent and 95 percent, and in some scenarios up to one hundred percent of their completion,” Bukele recently explained, adding that for the opening On June 23, 25,000 tickets will be distributed free of charge.

24th. In total, the Games will feature 53 fields, stadiums, multi-purpose halls and other competitive venues, 47 of which are located in Central America, and another six in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where competitions are held in taekwondo, modern pentathlon, equestrianism, rowing on a canoe. , sports shooting, racquetball and field hockey.

Of all the buildings, 12 are brand new, and another 13 have been renovated and reconstructed.

In San Salvador, representatives from 34 countries will compete in 37 sports. 1434 medals will be distributed, distributed in 447 gold and 447 silver sets, plus 540 bronze. More than 5,000 athletes will compete for places on the podium, 511 of which will be Cubans.

According to various local media reports, the Central American and Caribbean Villa will be opened on June 12, consisting of 22 residential buildings, 978 rooms and a capacity of more than 4,000 beds.

Cuba, queen of the regional medal table

Although in Barranquilla 2018 Cuba lost the top country position it held since the 1970 Panama Games, the island continues to dominate the historical table of those competitions, a key first step in the four-year cycle that continues with the Pan American Games. and ends up with the olympians

Currently, after 23 total editions, the Greater Antilles have amassed 1,752 titles with 889 silver and 679 bronze medals, for a total of 3,820 podiums, despite being absent three times (1959, 2002 and 2010) from those appointments.

Second on the list is another great power, Mexico, with a balance of 1,376 crowns, 1,333 silver, and 1,178 third places, for a total of 3,887, surpassing the Cuban representatives.

Just behind the two major countries, the top ten is closed by Venezuela (564-782-918-2264), Colombia (530-616-656-1802), Puerto Rico (343-515-730-1). 588), Dominican Republic (172-279-435-886), Jamaica (113-122-136-371), Guatemala (105-184-370-659), Panama (89-156-175-420) and Trinidad and Tobago (52-84-114-250).

Despite the absence of three draws, Cuba dominates the historical medal table of the regional multi-sport tournament. Photo: @Bquilla2018/Twitter

Mexico and Colombia, great hosts

For almost 97 years of the existence of these games – they will be held on October 12 – a total of ten countries have had the honor of organizing them.

The first, and at the same time one of the largest host countries, was Mexico, whose capital hosted the debut version in the fall of 1926. Later, the Aztec nation would host the region’s athletic elite three times: in 1954 (7th) and 1990 (16th), both times against the backdrop of beautiful Mexico City; and also in 2014 (22nd) when Caribbean Veracruz dressed up for the occasion.

It turns out that along with the southernmost country in the area, Colombia has also hosted the JCC four times. The city of Barranquilla was the busiest, as in addition to organizing the most recent edition five years ago (23rd), it had already done something similar at the 5th, held in 1946. On the other hand, they were joined by Medellin and Cartagena. India, sites in 1978 (13th) and 2006 (20th), respectively.

Behind these countries is the land of Kuskatlek, the army on duty. There, before this 2023, San Salvador has already witnessed the games in 1935 (3rd) and 2002 (19th), the latter without a Cuban presence.

Along with El Salvador, Puerto Rico is another country that has three opportunities as a JCC center. His first chance was at the 1966 San Juan event (10th), the one in which Cuba was to star in an epic journey to go there aboard the historic ship Cerro Pelado. Later beneficiaries were Ponce 1993 (17th) and Mayagüez 2010 (21st).

Almost on a par with the lands of El Salvador and Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic appears, which already has two settlements and fully corresponds to the mark in 2026, when Santo Domingo takes the 25th. version. So far, the capital of Quisqueyan has already been the venue in 1974 (12th) and Santiago de los Caballeros in 1986 (15th).

Panama, which was chosen to host this year’s event and was forced to step down due to the dire economic fallout caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, was the dual host alongside Cuba and Venezuela.

The channel country hosted the games in 1938 (4th) and 1970 (11th), the latter citing Cuba as starting a streak of dominance on the medal table that lasted until 2018 when Mexico ousted it to second place.

In the Greater Antilles, competitions were held in 1930 (2nd place) and 1982 (14th place), both in Havana. In the meantime, the aforementioned event of 59 (8th) occurred in the Bolivarian nation, as well as the event of Maracaibo in 1998 (18th).

Finally, there is a couple who have hosted local athletes only once. This is where Guatemala comes in, headquarters in 1950 on the 6th. games, and Jamaica, the only English-speaking country to be so honored when the city of Kingston hosted it in 1962 (9th).

Source: Juventud Rebelde