The event marked the country’s return to this competition with its national symbols, after in the San Salvador 2023 edition its athletes competed under the representation of Centro Caribe Sports due to the suspension imposed on the Guatemalan Olympic Committee (COG).
The suspension was provisionally lifted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in March 2024, allowing Guatemala to compete again under its flag at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
In Santo Domingo, Guatemala is represented by a delegation of 480 athletes – 213 women and 267 men -, the largest in the country’s history in the Central American and Caribbean Games, according to the Guatemalan Olympic Committee. The competition takes place from July 24 to August 8 and brings together athletes from 38 of the 40 sports included in the official program.
The delegation was registered with the three Olympic medalists in the history of Guatemala: Adriana Ruano, Olympic champion in women’s pit shooting with hunting weapons in Paris 2024; Jean Pierre Brol, bronze medalist in the men’s pit at those same Games, and walker Erick Barrondowinner of the silver medal in the 20 kilometer walk in London 2012. However, the National Athletics Sports Federation reported that Barrondo will not compete in Santo Domingo due to the cancellation of the men’s marathon walk event.
According to the COG, the delegation outnumbers those who attended Mayagüez 2010, made up of 416 athletes, and Barranquilla 2018, with 428 athletes.
Also part of the delegation is badminton player Kevin Cordón, winner of eight gold medals in the history of the Central American and Caribbean Games.
The flag bearers of Guatemala will be the taekwondoist María Alejandra Higueros, number one in the world ranking of freestyle poomsaeand the swimmer Erick Gordillo, who won three gold medals at the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador 2023.