When it comes to innovation, Colombia continues to set an example in Latin America and Cali is no exception. To celebrate its 477th anniversary, the salsa capital gave its citizens an unforgettable event: the World Games 2013.
Cali won its place as host in 2009 after the International World Games Association’s – IWGA decision to allow Valle del Cauca’s capital to host this important sporting event. Cali competed with cities in countries like Hungary, South Africa and Poland.
The World Games are very important in the world of sports, for it embraces up and coming disciplines that fight for a place in the Olympic Games. The 2013 edition will have 26 official sports and 5 invitational ones.
The event, held between July 25th and August 4th, will house about 5.000 sportsmen and women from 120 countries that will compete in 26 venues around Valle del Cauca’s capital. The city built five new venues and refurbished 14 more for the event.
The city arranged several centers dedicates to specific functions for the event. There is the Unified Commanding Post, the Technical Operation Center, the International Broadcast Center, the Main Media Center and the Catering Center, which will provide 6,000 lunches and 6,000 dinners a day for athletes and the crew. There will also be a Circular Route for competitors andorganizers, in which MIO buses will go around the venues every 15 minutes.
Hosting these games is a great step forward for the city’s and the country’s development, for it shows the world that Colombia is ready to host massive sport events.
The ecological compromise plays a fundamental role in the definition of the games ninth edition. Under the slogan ‘play fair for the planet’ (fair in Spanish also means clean), the competitions want to create awareness through several actions regarding environmental care. Plus, the event will showcase Valle del Cauca’s heritage values.
The pursuit of the Olympic dream
The 31 sports competing in the Cali games are divided in seven categories (precision, invitational, ball, strength, artistic, martial arts and trend). Disciplines like softball/baseball, squash and karate are trying to find a place in the Olympic Games.
For ten days, Colombia will shelter curious disciplines such as boules, sport dance, fistball, korfball, lifesaving and wushu. This is the last time rugby will be a part of the World Games, for it will be an Olympic sport starting in 2016.
The Colombian delegation wants to stand out in the games
Colombia has 202 athletes that will compete in 24 disciplines. The most medal promising sports are skating, swimming, karate, billiard, ultimate and rugby.
The national delegation has won 22 gold medals and 43 over all in its history.
Look for this great event’s schedule and learn more about the World Games 2013 in Cali. When it comes to sports, the answer is Colombia.
