Nova Southeastern University College of Pharmacy (COP) congratulates our Ponce, Puerto Rico student Alejandra Ortíz Irizarry, class of 2013. Ortíz competed in the XXI Central American & Caribbean Games (Spanish: XXI Juegos Centroamericanos y del Caribe, Mayagüez 2010) as member of the Puerto Rico National Women’s Water Polo Team. This was not Ortiz’s first international competition experience, she and her three sisters — also members of the team and better known in Puerto Rico as the “aquatic princesses” (Princesas Acuaticas”) —- competed in the 2006 Games in Colombia, winning a silver medal. The Ortíz sisters wanted to bring home the gold from this year’s games by defeating teams such as the powerful Cuban team who won the gold in 2006. The team’s coach, Antonio Pereles Castro, describes the Ortíz sisters as being excellent, dedicated, and passionate. He said Alejandra is the most academically driven. COP faculty, staff, and students congratulate the Ortíz sisters and most proudly applaud Alejandra for her sportsmanship successes, while she also excels as a future pharmacist.
The Central American & Caribbean Games, just like the regular Olympic Games take place every 4 years. This year, for the third time, Puerto Rico hosted the games in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, from July 18, 2010 to Aug. 1. Puerto Rico hosted previous games in San Juan in 1966, and Ponce in 1993. The Olympic Torch traveled the island, making its way to the city of Mayaguez for the Opening Ceremony on July 17th. The Olympic Flame left the island on Aug. 1 during the closing ceremony of the games. Athletes from 31 countries in the Caribbean and Central American regionparticipated in 32 sporting events during the games. A total of 4,965 athletes participated in the sports to be held in venues across Puerto Rico, Colombia, Guatemala, and Guyana. Besides water polo, the events scheduled to take place in Puerto Rico include archery, boxing, equestrian, tennis, taekwondo, triathlon, and wrestling among many others.
