The flame goes out: Santo Domingo 2026 Games close with emotional ceremony after 16 days
Santo Domingo.- The XXV Central American and Caribbean Games, Santo Domingo 2026, officially came to a close Saturday, August 8, with an emotional closing ceremony at the newly inaugurated Banreservas Virgilio Travieso Soto Arena, marking the end of 16 days of competition among 37 delegations.
The ceremony celebrated the athletes, volunteers and staff who helped bring the centennial edition of the regional sporting event to life. More than 5,000 people attended the closing celebration, which featured music, lights, videos highlighting memorable moments from the Games and tributes to those who contributed to their success.
One of the night’s most memorable moments came with the appearance of Dominican superstar Juan Luis Guerra, who performed “Canto a la Patria” alongside the 28-member choir “Más que Vencedores.” Guerra wrote and donated the song to the Dominican State in 2006, and its performance brought the arena to its feet.
The musical celebration continued with Manny Cruz and Techy Fatule, who performed “Dominicano Soy,” followed by Dominican band Ilegales, which closed the night with a 30-minute performance that had athletes and delegations dancing as they bid farewell to Santo Domingo.
Dominican Republic finishes fifth with 150 medals
During the closing ceremony, President Luis Abinader highlighted the Dominican Republic’s performance at the Games, noting that the country’s athletes won a record 150 medals, including 46 gold medals, to finish fifth in the overall medal standings.
Abinader said the athletes’ performance went beyond the medal count, arguing that their success could inspire Dominican children and young people to pursue sports and aspire to represent their country.
“During these two weeks, we have not only celebrated the Games, we have celebrated the talent, discipline and friendship between our peoples,” Abinader said during his closing remarks.
Mexico was crowned the overall champion of the Games, with Colombia finishing second and Cuba and Venezuela completing the top positions.
Tributes to athletes
The ceremony also recognized athletes, volunteers and members of the organizing team. Among those honored was Colombian weightlifter Jeison López, who broke his previous world record in the 88-kilogram snatch with a lift of 288 kilograms. Dominican sprinter Christopher Melenciano, a member of the gold-medal-winning mixed 4×400-meter relay team, was also recognized.
Flame extinguished after 16 days
The most solemn moment came when the Games’ flame was extinguished, officially marking the end of the competitions that began on July 24.
The closing ceremony carried the message “The future begins today,” signaling a transition from the centennial celebration toward a new chapter for Santo Domingo and the Dominican Republic.
With the flame extinguished and the delegations saying goodbye to Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic concluded a historic edition of the Central American and Caribbean Games, held 100 years after the first edition of the regional sporting event in 1926.
