Organizers of the 25th Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo said on Saturday that they were satisfied with the event's overall progress. The committee is managing the largest logistical operation in the region's history across venues in the Dominican Republic.
José Monegro, president of the Santo Domingo Organizing Committee, told news agency EFE during a tour of the athletes' village that mission leaders from all 37 competing countries and territories reported extraordinary experiences daily. He added that local public reaction to the Games had also been very positive.
Monegro noted that organizers faced severe weather conditions outside their control. Temperatures in the Dominican Republic were running seven degrees above forecasted levels for this period, placing the country under a meteorological emergency. Despite the extreme heat, Monegro said operations continued responsibly and athletes remained satisfied.
Logistical challenges and venue power outages
Organizers acknowledged that minor problems occurred during the event, but stated that staff responded promptly to every incident. At the Arena Banreservas Palacio de los Deportes, power outages caused delays and temporary stoppages during basketball games.
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Luis Mejía Oviedo, the Dominican president of Centro Caribe Sports, said he felt nervous but pleased with how the competition was unfolding. He noted that allowing reporters to tour the athletes' resting quarters was proof of the event's strong management, as such tours are rarely permitted.
Mejía Oviedo added that the village was so well equipped that organizers installed boxing rings inside the gymnasium. He explained that although tournament officials conduct four operational meetings daily, Centro Caribe Sports suspended its own daily meetings until Monday because of the event's smooth progress.
Historical context and medal standings
This is the third time the Dominican Republic has hosted the Central American and Caribbean Games, having previously hosted in Santo Domingo in 1974 and Santiago in 1986. The nation also hosted the Pan American Games in 2003.
At the midpoint of the competition, Mexico maintained a firm lead in the overall medal table. Mexican athletes collected 214 total medals, comprising 97 gold, 65 silver, and 52 bronze.
