Santo Domingo.– The flag-raising ceremony officially welcomed the 37 delegations to the Central American Village for the 25th Central American and Caribbean Games of Santo Domingo 2026, the historic centennial edition.
The gradual raising of the flags represented the reunion of a region that, for one hundred years, has found in sportsmanship a bridge of identity and brotherhood. Amidst that vibrant display of colors, the Cuban flag claimed its place atop the Dominican flagpole.
For the Cuban delegation present at the ceremony, watching the blue, white, and red banner unfurl in the Dominican wind was a moment of profound introspection. Its waving reflected not only the representation of a nation; it encapsulated months of grueling training under extremely challenging conditions, material shortages overcome through sheer willpower, and the collective determination to never succumb to adversity.
According to Omar Venegas, Vice President of the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education, and Recreation (INDER), "This ceremony marks the starting point for each Cuban athlete to demonstrate the greatness of our homeland in the competition."
"The Cuban athletes present at the Central American Games Village have found here an ideal place to rest, eat, and train in optimal conditions before each competition," he added.
Cuba is attending this historic edition of the Games with a contingent of around 500 athletes, a number that surpasses the record set at the previous Games in San Salvador in 2023.
The goal is to reaffirm its position at the forefront of the region and secure a place among the select trio that will lead the overall medal count by country, a goal that will demand maximum efficiency from its representatives against regional powerhouses with longer competition schedules.
The Santo Domingo Games bring together more than 6,200 athletes in the oldest regional multi-sport event of the modern era. Behind this impressive number lies a mosaic of stories of overcoming adversity, generational shifts, and the dreams of thousands of young people who aspire to etch their names in the centennial's history books.
The official opening ceremony will take place this Friday evening on the track of the renovated Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium, a venue that will host an artistic gala designed to unite history, the cultural identity of the Caribbean basin, and cutting-edge technology.
However, for Cuba, the battle began the moment its flag kissed the wind in Santo Domingo, with the firm promise to continue expanding a legacy that does not believe in difficulties.
