The Mexican government will grant financial incentives to athletes and coaches for each of the 407 medals won at the Santo Domingo 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games, instead of only recognizing each athlete’s best medal, Rommel Pacheco, director of the National Commission for Physical Culture and Sport (Conade), announced Wednesday.
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“Usually, only one medal is awarded, the best medal they obtain… the surprise is that both athletes and coaches will be awarded for all the medals they win,” Pacheco explained during the presidential press conference. However, the official did not specify the amount each athlete and coach will receive per medal.
Three-Time Champion and Historic Record
Mexico finished the 2016 Central American Games in Santo Domingo with 407 medals: 167 gold, 125 silver, and 115 bronze. This result allowed them to claim their third consecutive Central American championship and, according to Pacheco, achieve the country’s best performance in the history of the competition. The delegation surpassed its previous record by 22 gold medals and its best historical total by 23 medals.
“This was not a matter of chance,” stated the head of the National Sports Commission (CONADE), who highlighted the investment made during the preparation process.
¿Pensaban que la historia ya había terminado? Pues el atletismo vino a escribir varios capítulos.
México también conquistó el oro con otro récord incluido que entra al libro de los Juegos.
Laura Galván voló en el medio maratón femenino con un tiempo de 1:13:43,… pic.twitter.com/Dj5inSX5to
— Santo Domingo 2026 (@SDQ2026) August 2, 2026
The text reads, “Did you think the story was already over? Well, athletics came along to write several more chapters. Mexico also clinched the gold with another record included that goes into the Games’ record book. Laura Galván flew through the women’s half marathon with a time of 1:13:43, surpassing the previous mark of 1:15:04 held by Venezuelan Joselyn Brea.”
Pacheco revealed that more than 1 billion pesos, equivalent to 56 million dollars were allocated to Mexican athletes during the preparation and qualification stages. In addition, 60 million pesos, equivalent to US$3.4 million were given to the Mexican Olympic Committee to cover uniforms and airfare.
This investment enabled 698 athletes to participate in the competition, as well as funding international competitions, training camps, training sessions, specialized equipment, and sports scholarships. The government supported more than 50 federations with multidisciplinary teams and trained more than 300 coaches.
Mexico won medals in 50 sports and earned at least one gold in 35 of them. A total of 493 athletes reached the podium, and 91 won three or more medals. Women led the medal count with 198 medals, including 83 golds.
The official assured that the support will continue with an eye toward the Lima 2027 Pan American Games and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. “After making history comes the challenge of surpassing it. The next goal is already in front of us: Lima 2027, and then Los Angeles 2028,” Pacheco stated.
The 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games are in full swing in Santo Domingo, drawing top athletes from across the region. From intense water polo preliminary matches between Cuba and Mexico to passionate fan support, the region’s sporting excellence is taking center stage in… pic.twitter.com/LOYOjlR723
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) July 24, 2026
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