Panama celebrates return to eighth place in Central American and Caribbean Games after 60 years

Panama is celebrating a historic return to eighth place in the medal standings of the Central American and Caribbean Games, a position not held in six decades. The nation achieved this milestone at the Santo Domingo 2026 Games, securing a total of 24 medals, with eight of them being gold.

The 'Team Panama' delegation finished eighth out of 37 participating nations, improving by two spots from their tenth-place finish in San Salvador 2023, where they won 23 medals, including five gold. This return to the top eight matches Panama's performance at the San Juan 1966 Games, marking a significant resurgence in regional competition.

The increase in gold medals from five in 2023 to eight in 2026 represents a 60% improvement. Notably, Panama was the only country among the top ten medal winners in Santo Domingo 2026 to improve its overall ranking from the previous edition. The achievement of eight gold medals also matches a mark not seen in Panamanian sports for 76 years, since the 1950 Guatemala City Games.

Beyond the medal count, the Games provided direct qualifications for the Lima 2027 Pan American Games in athletics (two events), baseball, and equestrian disciplines (two spots in jumping and dressage). A delegation of 217 Panamanian athletes, accompanied by coaches and technical staff, competed, using the event as a crucial opportunity to measure themselves against top athletes from Central America and the Caribbean.