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(EFE). – More than 5,400 athletes from 37 countries and territories will seek to win at the XXIII Games of Central America and the Caribbean, the oldest regional competition in the world that will take place from Thursday to August 3 in Barranquilla.
The main protagonists were Mexico and Cuba, countries that were involved in its creation in 1924 when it was established that two years later the first Central American Games would be played in Mexico City.
The delegations of Colombia and Venezuela were invited to the initial edition, as well as those of the countries of Central America and the Caribbean, but only Cuba, Guatemala and the host country. participated.
The main protagonists were Mexico and Cuba, countries that participated in its creation in 1924
269 athletes met, all men, although they could participate women in the tests of leibol, swimming and tennis.
On this occasion, athletics, basketball, baseball, swimming, diving, fencing, shooting, volleyball and tennis competitions allowed Mexico to win 24 medals. Gold, 24 silver and 18 In total, 67 medals
Two of the most prominent figures were the Cuban fencer Ramón Fonst, double Olympic champion (Paris 1900 and San Luis 1904) and Mexican diver Federico Mariscal, who exhibited in their respective disciplines. As agreed at its inception, the second games took place in Havana in 1930 and the number of participating countries tripled, since there were also delegations from Panama, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica and El Salvador.
Six Cubans competed for the tennis tournament and became the first women to compete in Central America.
The guests took advantage of their condition and took the title with 28 Preseas of gold, 19 silver and 21 bronzes.
Six Cubans played the tennis tournament and thus became the first women to compete in the Central Americans
San Salvador was designated the headquarters of the Central Americans in 1934 and they were added "and Caribbean", but these Games had to be postponed for a few months by a storm that caused the deaths of more than 350 people in the middle of this year.
In the program of competitions were added boxing, wrestling, horse riding and golf, there were 741 participants and another country: Nicaragua
The champion was Mexico with 37 gold medals, followed by Cuba with 31 and Puerto Rico with 5.
The novelty of the fourth edition of the Central Americas, which took place in Panama City in 1938, was that Colombia and Venezuela participated for the first time. Water polo, weightlifting, racquetball and cycling were added, completing 18 sports.
One of the most notable athletes was Puerto Rican Rebekah Colberg, known as the mother of sport in Puerto Rico, who earned gold in discus and javelin tests
The V Games were to be held in 1942 in San Jose but were canceled by the Second World War. As a result, it was decided that they would be held four years later in Barranquilla, the first city without the rank of capital that hosted the competitions.
1,540 athletes from 13 countries and territories participated in 19 sports. The Jamaicans Arthur Wint and Herbert McKenley, who later became Olympic champion in Helsinki in 1952, excelled
The Organization of Central American and Caribbean Sports (Odecabe) was created in 1959, for which the Puerto Rican Julio Monagas was appointed president
After Cuba's triumph in Barranquilla & # 39; 46, Mexico won those of Ciudad de Guatemala & # 39; 50, Ciudad de México & # 39; 54, Caracas & # 39; 59, of Kingston & # 39; 62 and San Juan & # 39; 66
. canteen of the contest with a flame of the Mexican hill of La Estrella in 1954.
The sports organization of Central America and the Caribbean (Odecabe) was created in 1959, for which the Puerto Rican Julio Monagas has was named President
Panama 1970, Cuba broke Mexican dominance and dominated the medal table with 98 gold, 60 more than its leading contenders.
The Colombian Martin & Cochise & # 39; Rodriguez added his third consecutive gold in cycling This individual pursuit of 4000 meters, already won in Kingston in 1962 and in San Juan in 1966
Cuba repeated and kept the title in Santo Domingo74, Medellin 1978, Havana 1982 , Santiago de los Caballeros. & # 39; 86, Mexico & # 39; 90, Ponce & # 39; 94 & Maracaibo & # 98;
Cuba retained the title in Santo Domingo & # 74; Medellin & # 39; 78, Havana & # 39; 82, Santiago de los Caballeros, 86, Mexico 90, Ponce 94 and Maracaibo 98
Two of the most outstanding athletes were the Cuban Alberto Juantorena, who had won the medals from the 400 and 800 meters in Montreal & # 39; 76 and in Medellín he got the same medals, and Costa Rica Sylvia Poll, who won 10 gold medals in swimming in Santiago de los Caballeros .
In 2002, Mexico took over the title of the games in San Salvador, because Cuba did not attend, asserting a lack of security for its athletes, the second place was in the hands of Venezuela.
Since then, the islanders and the north Americans have alternated the titles of Cartagena 2006; Mayagüez 2010, in which Cuba did not participate either, and Veracruz 2014.
In Barranquilla, the two countries will try to win a new title but will have to turn to Colombia which will try to take advantage of its local status and of his good sporting moment to win Central America and the Caribbean.
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