Cuba to send 504 athletes to 2026 Central American Games

Cuba has announced a substantial delegation of 504 athletes, competing in 42 sports, for the upcoming XXV Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo. The games are scheduled to take place from July 24 to August 8.

The Cuban contingent will participate in 356 of the 497 events. Their primary objective is to rank among the top three nations in the overall medal count. José Antonio Miranda, director of high performance at the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education, and Recreation (Inder), expressed confidence that the athletes could win approximately 70 medals across 19 disciplines.

This goal is informed by past performance. At the 2023 games in San Salvador, Cuba secured third place behind Mexico and Colombia, earning a total of 196 medals, including 74 gold, 59 silver, and 63 bronze. The team also aims to qualify for the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima.

Cuban athletes in women's volleyball, judo, shooting, weightlifting, and triathlon are already training in the Dominican Republic. Sports authorities anticipate strong performances in women's cycling, combat sports like boxing, freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, taekwondo, and judo, as well as in athletics, baseball, and canoeing.

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The Cuban representation is going to the event in Santo Domingo with the objective of finishing among the top three places in the medal standings by country.