Thousands of young athletes from southern Argentina and Chile compete in the Araucanía Games. In 2020, COVID-19 forced the XXIX edition to be postponed, and put the 2021 edition in danger. However, thanks to the enthusiasm of athletes and the support of local governments and institutions, today each country has its own contest.
Since 1992, the Araucanía Binational Games have put thousands of young people under the age of 18 to compete in athletics, basketball, volleyball, judo, swimming, soccer, cycling and, recently, handball.
From Chilean Patagonia, young people from Biobío, Ñuble, La Araucanía, Los Ríos, Los Lagos, Aysén and Magallanes participate. The athletes of Argentine Patagonia come from La Pampa, Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut, Santa Cruz and Tuerra del Fuego. The last general champion (2019) was Río Negro, who has accumulated 13 victories and is the historic winner of the competition.
The Araucanía Games in Chile 2021
On October 23, the Araucanía 2021 Games began, with Chilean delegations from the regions of Ñuble, Biobío, Aysén, Araucanía, Los Lagos, Los Ríos and Magallanes. The athletes will compete in multi-venues, during most of November, according to the local press.
In Magallanes the basketball championship was inaugurated, judo takes place in Aysén, while cycling and swimming will have action in Los Lagos and La Araucanía, respectively. On November 12, men’s athletics will begin in Ñuble and, later, women’s and men’s volleyball will begin in Concepción. At the end of November, meanwhile, women’s athletics and men’s basketball will be held in Los Ríos.
BioBío’s regional ministerial secretary for Sports, Daniel Garcés, said that “it is great news that these Araucanía Games can be held after so long without collective competitions as a result of the pandemic. We are very confident in the performance of our delegations and, the most important thing, is that all our athletes can enjoy this true party after so long in confinement.
For this edition of the sports contest, the development of the ParaAraucanía Games is also considered. These will have two disciplines, para-swimming and para-athletics, while athletes will have competition between November 26 and 29 in Temuco.
Argentina: the National Games of Araucanía
On October 30, the National Games of Araucanía began in Argentina. The governor of Neuquén, Omar Gutiérrez, inaugurated the first edition during a ceremony that took place on the grounds of the Ciudad Deportiva in the capital of the province.
«There are 1,900 boys and girls who are competing in eight sports disciplines throughout Patagonia, promoting gender equality. It is very important to show us that Patagonia is united and consolidated, ”Gutierrez told participants and the local press. «We have a dream, that there will be no more problematic consumption, that there will be no more drugs and alcohol. And that is achieved with culture, education and sports, “he added.
In turn, the governor recalled that in 2020 «we said no to sport, because we were afraid that [los jóvenes] we die. (…) It was in this context that we made those decisions, ”he commented, referring to the fact that in 2021 the championship is national, not binational. This special edition also has another peculiarity: the handball.
The president of the Argentine Olympic Committee, Mario Moccia, present at the inauguration, pointed out that “it is important to prepare for when the competition will be binational again next year.” And he recalled: “To get to elite sport, it is essential that we have many possibilities to compete at the provincial, national and international level.”
The competition —which maintains the name of the original contest— will be held at different venues in Argentine Patagonia until November 5. In Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego), volleyball will be played, while swimming will compete in Río Gallegos (Santa Cruz). Football will be based in Trelew (Chubut) and basketball, in Rawson and Trelew (Chubut). Viedma (Río Negro) will host judo and cycling, and Neuquén, athletics and handball.
Courtesy of Sputnik
It might interest you
Torch arrives in Beijing for the 2022 Winter Olympics
