CubaPLUS Magazine

Cuba concluded its campaign at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo in third place on the overall medal table, celebrating the capture of 70 qualification spots for the Lima 2027 Pan American Games.  

At these Centennial Games, the national delegation secured berths for the upcoming continental showcase across five of the 19 sports that offered qualification: handball, field hockey, athletics, archery, and rhythmic gymnastics.  

Assessing its performance at Santo Domingo 2026, the Cuban delegation noted that the competition confirmed the rising level of competitiveness in the region, alongside the consolidation of Mexico and Colombia as leading regional powerhouses.  

The delegation also acknowledged the progress of Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, as well as the lasting impact of Cuban coaches—106 of whom contributed to winning 52 gold, 58 silver, and 83 bronze medals across 19 different nations.  

Regarding Cuba's overall performance, officials detailed that while the delegation captured 51 gold medals—complemented by 48 silver and 56 bronze—the gold tally fell short of the projected 62 titles set following technical analysis and final schedule adjustments.  

At the same time, the report highlighted that 34 of the gold medals were won by athletes and teams expected to take top honors, while 23 of the remaining 28 contenders reached the podium.  

A total of 15 sports contributed to the gold count, with dominant Cuban performances in wrestling (10 gold medals), judo (6), field hockey (2), handball (2), and beach volleyball (men's gold and women's silver).  

In its released statement, the Cuban delegation emphasized that regardless of the medal count, records, and other feats, or the dissatisfaction over unmet goals, “the third-place finish in the country rankings deserves praise, fulfilling forecasts—though this does not mean overlooking the need to reassess what we could have done and can do better, even under current conditions.”  

The statement further noted that the delegation—predominantly composed of young athletes who trained amidst power outages and shortages caused by the heavy burden of the U.S. blockade—faced the challenge with joy and determination.  

Overcoming disadvantages ranging from technological gaps to a lack of international competitive experience, as well as officiating calls that impacted results, the team upheld the core values of humanistic sport—respecting fair play and opponents alike—fully aware that its supporters applaud nobility, dignity, and decorum, even when they do not always lead to the podium, the statement noted.  

The message concluded by highlighting that, beyond the triumphs and setbacks of their performance, the athletes and coaches gave their all in tribute to the centennial of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz and the 60th anniversary of the historic Cerro Pelado saga.  

(Taken from Prensa Latina)