Cuba at the Central American and Caribbean Games (XXII)

The XXI edition of the Central American and Caribbean Games held in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico (2010), lacked Cuba, one of the countries considered a sports power in the region.

This was the second absence in eight years of the Caribbean nation and the third in total, as it had already happened in Caracas 1959 and San Salvador 2002.

The Cubans communicated early their decision because they did not have guarantees of treatment similar to the rest of the delegations by the United States, whose laws govern the Caribbean island, a "Commonwealth Associated", despite their willingness to attend, and the strong mediation of the sports authorities to favor it, especially the Organizing Committee, said the late journalist Enrique Montesinos.

Despite the non-attendance of the most winning nation in these competitions, from July 15 to 31, record numbers of athletes (4,877), sports (39) and events (491) were reported.

Montesinos points out in his book Los Juegos Regionales Mas Antiguos (The Oldest Regional Games), that in this Puerto Rican version there was no lack of dopers, which were known at the end of the Games, since the samples were processed in Montreal, Canada, and reached 13 cases; while Mexico saw its golden booty affected in some of its disciplines for that reason, such as synchronized swimming, in which they lost six of the eight titles achieved.

Undoubtedly, the fact that Cuba did not participate in this competition increased the possibility of sharing medals, so that the Mexican delegation climbed to the top of the table with 127 gold medals, followed by Venezuela (116) and Colombia (104), in that order.

In this version, despite the large number of athletes, the Central American and Caribbean Sports Organization ( ODECABE) validated the events with only four participating countries, instead of the five allowed; and in women's water polo it authorized only three, after Trinidad and Tobago failed, refers Montesinos.

Likewise, the regional soccer authority did not approve the competitive venues and this sport was only able to hold the women's matches thanks to Venezuela's decision to hold them in Merida.

The most notable events in Cartagena de Indias were the Colombian skaters, who reedited the 20 gold medals won in the previous edition, in the same number of possibilities; as well as the performance of the archer Jorge Jimenez, from El Salvador, who reached 26 medals in all his participations, only surpassed by the Colombian Bernardo Tobar (29).

Meanwhile, Mexican archers Juan Serrano and Aida Roman were crowned "king" and "queen" of the Games, with eight crowns each; while Puerto Rico's Enrique "Kike" Figueroa won his sixth title in a row -since 1986- in the Hobbie Cat 16 sailing category, an unprecedented feat.
Also outstanding were the Venezuelans Albert Subirats, with five gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze in swimming; and cyclist Daniela Larreal, owner of four crowns on the track and a record in the 500-meter time trial (35.70 seconds).

Collectively, the locals were crowned in basketball (both sexes), women's water polo and men's volleyball, while the Dominican Republic won in men's and women's handball, baseball and women's volleyball, with its third consecutive crown.
Likewise, Venezuela excelled in soccer (f), softball (both sexes) and beach volleyball (m); Mexico in field field hockey (m) and beach volleyball (f); Colombia in water polo (m); and Trinidad and Tobago in field field hockey (f).