Belgrano buzzed for bocce's South American opener | OneFootball

The bowls competition at the South American Games began this Monday before a large crowd at the court set up in the Belgrano Station Convention Center. The Argentine bowlers faced their counterparts from Paraguay and Peru.

As part of the 13th South American Games taking place in Santa Fe, Rosario, and Rafaela, bowls had its first day of competition on the court installed in the Belgrano Station hall. With the stands full, bowlers from Chile, Venezuela, Argentina, Paraguay, and Peru competed during the morning, while Uruguayan representatives joined in the afternoon.

The national team earned a 12-9 victory in the first Group B match of the Mixed Punto Raffa Volo category against Paraguay. Romina Bolatti also won 13-3 in her debut in Women’s Individual Volo, while the team lost 13-8 to Peru in the Mixed Petanque category.

A discipline that transcends generations

“Many people think it is a sport for the elderly, played in bars. Here we are showing the true image of our sport with its 3 modalities and international rules, with athletes who are young. As Argentines, and as people from Santa Fe, we have the double responsibility of making these Games a success,” said Marcelo Bravo, president of the Pan American Bocce Confederation.

The national team includes Argentine champions and representatives at world championships and the World Games. “We have a country where bocce is everywhere. In Santa Fe it is the second most practiced sport, surprising as that may be to many. In every little town, every community, there is a club, there is a bocce court,” Bravo added.

The bocce competition will run through Thursday, September 17, in the historic restored railway space, transformed into an urban competition venue for these Games. A court specially designed for precision competitions was set up there. “It is the biggest sporting event in history, not just for Santa Fe but for Argentina, because of the impact, the infrastructure works, everything that is being left behind,” Bravo insisted.

The large crowd did not go unnoticed by the national players and officials: “It is incredible to see this magnificent stadium, not to mention the crowd, and also the appearance of great young bowlers, who are the future of this sport,” said Julio Ceballos, vice president of the Argentine Bocce Confederation. The Santa Fe official also highlighted the growth and visibility these Games provide: “It helps Santa Fe continue to be great, with great clubs that are getting stronger, some with synthetic courts, others that still have dirt courts,” Ceballos said.

A bowlful of history

In addition to the sporting competition, the entrance hall of Belgrano Station is hosting the exhibition “A Bowlful of History: Neighborhood Clubs and Players of Santa Fe,” an exhibition about this sport and its connection to neighborhoods, identity, and local residents.

With the arrival of immigrant communities, bocce quickly became part of social life in Santa Fe. The practice gradually created meeting spaces where, besides playing, people shared celebrations, gatherings, and activities that strengthened ties among neighbors.

“It is the family that revolves around bocce,” reflected Mayor Juan Pablo Poletti, who, along with the provincial governor, Maximiliano Pullaro, took part in the opening of the exhibition. “The barbecue and the toast after the tournament may be enjoyed even more than lifting the trophy. Even though when you compete you like to win, afterward you also like to share, and I think that is what bocce gives,” he added.

The exhibition brings together archives, objects, and memories contributed by the Santa Fe Bocce Association, clubs, and bowlers from the city. The research work was carried out by the City Museum team with contributions from students of the Faculty of Humanities and Sciences at the National University of the Littoral.

Along the same lines, provincial governor Maximiliano Pullaro highlighted the presentation of this exhibition, which “makes it possible to showcase a sport that has years of history, but is also deeply rooted in each of our communities and closely tied to our traditions,” he said.

For her part, the exhibition’s curator, Jorgelina Centurión, expressed her joy at the interdisciplinary work: “This game is not just a game, but has to do with a social practice that has truly built neighborliness, built and strengthened social bonds, and those are the issues we talk about at the City Museum.”

The initiative was supported by the Santa Fe Bocce Association, the City Council, and the clubs Escalante, Pasaje Suárez, Granaderos, Altos del Valle, Rep. Los Hornos, Central María Selva, Independiente, Los Poquitos, and Los 40.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.