La Paz, June 20 (EFE).- The Government of Bolivia delivered the country’s flag on Monday to the delegation of athletes who will participate in the Bolivarian Games of Valledupar (Colombia) with the goal of promoting “a new litter” and a “new generation” of athletes.
The delivery of the Bolivian tricolor was made by the Vice Minister of Sports, Cielo Veizaga, in an act held in the city of Santa Cruz, to the fencer Marco Rojas, one of the flag bearers along with the swimmer Karen Tórrez, who was absent because he was participating in the World Swimming Championships in Hungary.
Veizaga affirmed that these games represent a “very big challenge” since one of the main premises is to promote a “new litter and new generation” that will represent the country in the following Olympic Games in Paris 2024.
“We have to break records, marks and victories in these games,” said the official after pointing out the importance of obtaining 11 distinctions in the last South American Games in the Argentine city of Córdoba.
Veizaga, on behalf of the Government, delivered the plane tickets for a large part of the delegation.
The Bolivian delegation is made up of some 270 members, including athletes and officials who will compete in several of the 54 disciplines and 33 sports.
In his turn, the president of the Bolivian Olympic Committee (COB), Marco Arze, stated that the athletes who travel are “the best thing in the country” and that the delivery of the flag in the background is the “symbol” of an entire State that relies on that representation.
The fencer Marco Rojas said he was “proud” to represent the country and that the athletes’ presence in the competition had been guaranteed.
In the Valledupar Games, Bolivia will participate in 27 sports disciplines, including basketball, soccer, volleyball, swimming, athletics, fencing, karate, taekwondo, judo and boxing.
Together with Tórrez and Rojas, the athlete David Ninavia is emerging as one of the main Bolivian promises after winning the gold medal in the 5,000 meter event at the Junior Pan American Games in Cali last year.
The competition will take place between June 24 and July 5 and it is expected that more than 3,000 athletes will participate and will have 11 participating countries.
Among them seven members of the Bolivarian Sports Organization (Odebo) Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela; plus four guests, Guatemala, El Salvador, Paraguay and the Dominican Republic. EFE
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