And the party arrived in Barranquilla • Workers

The Fifth Games of Central America and the Caribbean have was held for the first time in South America (8-28) in December 1946, in Barranquilla, Colombia After the resignation of San José from Costa Rica to organize them, the Colombians, as first substitutes, badume the siege.

However, the Second World War conflict forced to suspend the regional rendezvous in 1942, the year in which the four-year cycle established, was the first and only opportunity up to our days when these festivities were stopped, while for the first time a city that was not The capital of the country served as hostess to tests.

Despite eight years of forced vacation, the competition included countries (13) and participants (1540), while the competition program increased. , incorporating one of the star disciplines in any multisport competition, gymnastics, while the ladies went into action for the first time in softball.

The Dominican Republic, Curacao and Trinidad and Tobago made their debut in these competitions. Fine arts competition and a tournament of chess. In the specific case of Cuba, many surprises came from Barranquilla in some sports

Fortun, brilliant and unexpected baseball

The V Games athletics brought together a real constellation of Stars who would hunt down headlines shortly later on during the 1948 and 1952 Olympics. Among them were Panamanian Lloyd La Beach and Jamaican Arthur S. Wint and Herbert McKenley.

Without much attention to such names, the Cuban Rafael Fortun shined with his first two Doradas in these regional ranks to win the fastest tests in athletics, 100 and 200 meters. In neither of the two specialties did Fortun sell and liquidate McKenley in the hectometer (10.4 by 10.7). Two days later, he did the same with La Beach (21.6 by 21.7).

One of the most unexpected results of the event occurred in baseball, when the island's favorite players fell to third place. four crowns online. The most expensive defeats came to a local pitcher, Carlos Rodriguez, author of slot machines and guide his country's only Central American title in the sport

With such a result, volleyball players just ball rider Reinaldo Paseiro, gold at the kilometer against the clock; gymnasts with 7 gold medals and are distinguished by brothers Fernando and Rafael Lecuona; as well as weightlifters and shooters, absolute monarchs of the Games.