The South American torch arrives in the province, heads to all departments | OneFootball

The countdown to the XIII South American Games Santa Fe 2026 gained a new symbol this Thursday: the arrival of the South American Torch in the province. The flame will travel through Santa Fe’s 19 departments, bringing the spirit of the competition to every corner of the region on the road to the major sporting event that will begin on September 12. The flame arrived in Rosario this Thursday from Bolivia and started a journey that seeks, on the one hand, to spread the values and experience of Olympic sports throughout the province and, on the other, to draw on the strength and energy of every woman and man from Santa Fe to bring to life an unprecedented event in Santa Fe. “The South American Torch is going to travel through all 19 departments because we want the Games to be felt throughout Santa Fe. The competitions will be hosted in Santa Fe, Rosario, and Rafaela, but this event belongs to the entire province,” emphasized Marcela Aeberhard, the Province’s Secretary of Tourism. She added: “We want every town, every club, every school, every family, and every person from Santa Fe to feel part of this celebration and this historic opportunity. The torch carries the spirit of the Games to every corner, but it also gathers something from every place it passes through: the energy, identity, and pride of a province that has already started playing.”

From September 12 to 26, the cities of Santa Fe, Rosario, and Rafaela will welcome more than 4,000 athletes from 15 countries competing in 43 sports and 60 disciplines. “It is much more than a symbol: it represents the spirit of sport, the unity among all countries. And all the values that all of us athletes already know well, such as effort, teamwork, and self-improvement,” highlighted Federico Grabich, former swimmer and ambassador of the 2026 South American Games. The athlete was responsible for receiving the South American flame upon its arrival in the province, in a ceremony full of symbolism and emotion. “After so many years representing our country, being able to be part of all this and accompany the path of the Games in the city where I live, in my own city, is a great source of pride, and honestly it is an emotion that brings back everything I experienced in my sporting career,” he said.

The torch’s journey

The South American Torch’s route will have a special feature: it will reach all 19 departments of Santa Fe, extending the spirit of the Games beyond the three cities that will host the competitions. “The opportunity to welcome all the athletes from South America is very important, since we can show everything we are and also inspire our children and the generations to come in sport,” Grabich said. The South American Torch will travel through each locality as a symbol of gathering and participation, highlighting the spaces that are part of its identity: historical, cultural, sporting, and tourist sites, as well as places of significance for each community. It will be a symbol that allows towns and cities across the province to join the celebration and begin to feel the excitement of the sporting event. “The South American Games are much more than 15 days of competition. They are an investment that remains in sports and urban infrastructure, in new capacities for our clubs and athletes, in opportunities for economic and tourism development, and also in experiences that will become part of the lives of thousands of people from Santa Fe,” Aeberhard stressed. “But there is a legacy that is even deeper: that a generation can get closer to sport, discover new disciplines, encounter other cultures, and understand that sport also transforms communities. That is why we want the entire population to play a leading role: because the Games end on September 26, but the legacy we are building must continue long afterward,” the spokesperson underlined.

Activities for each area

The arrival of the Torch will be accompanied by different activities designed to make the community a central part of the event. The caravan will pass through the main points of each city and, in the final stretch, a relay race will take place with notable participants carrying the flame to the Fan Fest, in a moment that will be accompanied by music, entertainment, and the introduction of those taking part in the relay stages. The route began this Thursday with the Torch’s arrival in Rosario from Bolivia and will continue during August and September through different parts of the province. The schedule includes stops in San Lorenzo, Coronda, Santa Fe, Recreo, Esperanza, Rafaela, San Cristóbal, Tostado, Vera, Villa Ocampo, Reconquista, San Javier, San Justo, San Jorge, Armstrong, Cañada de Gómez, Venado Tuerto and, during September, Firmat, Casilda, Pujato, Funes, Granadero Baigorria, Villa Constitución, Villa Gobernador Gálvez, Alvear, and Arroyo Seco. In addition to the places where the South American Tour will be receiving the torch, other localities are also expected to accompany the passing of the Flame with their athletes, residents, and institutions. Such is the case of Gálvez, Santo Tomé, Avellaneda, Helvecia, Gobernador Crespo, and Totoras.

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