Team Paraguay is ready for the Odesur Games

The Paraguayan Delegation of 576 Paraguayan Sports Ambassadors that will assert the locality during the South American Games Asunción 2022 was officially presented this Wednesday morning in a ceremony where the President of the Republic, Mario Abdo Benítez, and the Minister of Sports, Diego Galeano, proceeded to the flag ceremony of the national representatives.     
 
The National Track Cycling Center, in the Paraguayan Olympic Park, was the scenario where the Paraguayan National Team of all sports received the National Flag that will fly at the opening ceremony of the South American Games of Odesur, which for the first time in history, in its 12th edition, will set foot on Guarani soil.

The Paraguayan Head of State was in charge of handing the Paraguayan Flag to the golfer Fabrizio Zanotti and the rower Nicole Martinez, who will carry the national flag this Saturday at the Defensores del Chaco, during the opening ceremony of the Asuncion 2022 Games.

During the ceremony, the President of the Republic, Mario Abdo Benítez, expressed that "one does not believe that one can live these unique and significant moments. We are on the verge of one of the most important moments in the history of Paraguayan sport".

"We had not measured the impact and how long the health crisis would last and the resources we were going to need, always with that hope and faith, we made the decision to move forward in the destiny of our nation, in the strength of our people and for Paraguay to demonstrate before the world and the region its resilience and greatness. Today we are just hours away from the beginning of this historic moment that will remain forever in the history of Paraguayan sports", said President Abdo.

He affirmed that he is sure that the 576 athletes will represent Paraguay with dignity and will make Paraguay shine during these 15 days "my gratitude, support and wish them the best, we will be like fans shouting for the beloved albirroja. I would like to thank the almost 4,000 volunteers and all those who made it possible for us to be calm and with the doors of this great nation open for the visitors who I am sure will leave in love with our beloved Paraguay".
Also, in a surprise moment, President Mario Abdo announced that after this great investment, they made the decision to propose Paraguay as the host of the next Pan American Games Juniors 2025. "The merit is yours and with this effort and great infrastructure that remains, this challenge is possible," he concluded during his speech to the athletes of Team Paraguay.  

Likewise, the Minister of Sports, Diego Galeano addressed the audience remarking that "Paraguay is ready to bring this kind of events to our country, that is the main objective. It took a lot of work from many people, I think we can all agree today that it was the right decision to hold these Games in the most difficult moments". The head of the sports portfolio indicated that he feels the full backing of the President of the Republic for all the support.

"These Games mark a before and after in the national sport and through the national sport in the education of so many young people who are going to leave excited with all the infrastructure and the level that is going to be seen in the Games during these days," said Minister Galeano.  He also thanked all the 4,000 volunteers who are the heart of the Games.

For his part, the head of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee and ODESUR, Camilo Perez, said that "this is very exciting. I want to thank the work of all these years. Mr. President, this is a work of many years that has now advanced and exploded. We have advanced for 12 years. Your government made sports explode, Mr. President".
Perez further addressed the athletes present.  "We are living a historic moment and this, dear athletes, is all for you," he concluded.
 
Athletes' gratitude
Fabrizio Zanotti was the spokesman for the athletes during the meeting and remarked that "I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for making these games possible. Since we were children it has been our dream to represent our country and this time to do it in front of our families is unique. All the effort will have its reward when we climb to the top of the podium to sing our Anthem".

The Paraguayan Delegation to the Asunción 2022 Games will be composed of a historic 576 registered athletes, the largest number of Guaraní athletes representing the country in an international multidisciplinary event. Likewise, Paraguayan athletes are expected to participate in a total of 599 competitions in 34 sports and 53 modalities.

Likewise, Team Paraguay will compete with representatives in the two exhibition sports disciplines of Paddle Tennis and Chess. The national contingent is completed with 172 Team Officials and 79 members of the multidisciplinary team and staff of the Delegation.

After the flag-raising and inauguration of the Velodrome, the President of the Republic, the Minister of Sports and the President of the Olympic Committee toured the sports infrastructure such as the 3x3 Basketball Courts, Skating Rink, National Hockey Center, National Soccer Center and Precision Shooting Range, culminating at the Paraguayan Equestrian Club of Mariano Roque Alonso, venues of the #ASU2022 Games.  
 
Asunción, September 28, 2022.