CAC Games 2006

60

The 20th edition of the Central American and Caribbean, CAC, Games concluded on Sunday, 30th July, after a rather hectic schedule that began with the Official Opening Ceremony on 15th July 2006.
Host city to the Games, the beautiful coastal and historic Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, played host to thousands of athletes and officials from the 32 National Olympic Committees, NOC’s, that constitute the Central American and Caribbean Sports Organisation, CACSO.
The two-weeks of intense competition was matched by the conviviality of the peoples who hosted the event and their genuine commitment to offering the athletes of the region yet another opportunity to participate in the oldest multisport Games in the world, after the Olympic Games.
The CAC Games were first held in 1926, 30-years after the inaugural edition of the modern Olympic Games.

The Bid
Cartagena was lucky to have won the Bid to host the 20th CAC Games. The city came up against Guatemala City, capital of Guatemala, some six-years-ago.
The two bids were received by the CACSO and a decision was taken by the Executive Committee to award the Games to the Cartagena.
Cartagena won on a promise that it would deliver the goods in respect of all that was required to host a successful CAC Games. Cartagena did not possess much by way of sports infrastructure at the time of bidding to host the Games but the Bid Committee gave the assurance, backed by the Government at the city, provincial and national levels, that it would deliver the requisite infrastructure in time for the Games of 2006.
The Bid Committee indicated at the time that it was committed to the creation and maintenance of a rich sporting legacy in Cartagena.
The Committee acknowledged that much work was involved but indicated a readiness to meet all challenges.