Quintana Roo Hosts Historic National Powerlifting Championship

Chetumal — Quintana Roo has entered the history books of national sports by hosting the "MegaNats Chetumal 2026" for the first time. The event, which encompasses the 17th National Powerlifting Championship, features over 800 athletes from 29 states across Mexico. The opening ceremony was attended by Jacobo Arzate Hop, president of the Quintana Roo Sports Commission (CODEQ), who represented Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa.

A Historic Gathering of Athletes

At the ceremony, Jacobo Arzate confirmed the scale of the competition and outlined the state's sporting vision. "With this competition and by welcoming all these excellent athletes, we are expressing the sport in every sense; the governor has asked us for two things, the first is to work at field level, always being hand in hand with our athletes and of course, coordinating as a team with parents," Arzate stated.

He added, "And the second is that through sport we can create champions for life, because that is what sport is, a fundamental tool for rebuilding the social fabric."

The national championship is being held at the Bellavista Social Center in the state capital and will continue through March 23.

Unprecedented Scope and Inclusivity

Arzate emphasized that this championship marks a historic moment for the discipline, as it is the first time all the official categories of powerlifting in Mexico are being convened at a single venue. The event is organized by the Mexican Powerlifting Federation and the Quintana Roo Powerlifting Association and will also serve as a qualifier for international competitions.

Of the more than 800 athletes participating, 577 are men and 279 are women. This includes 35 athletes representing Quintana Roo, 4 of whom are in the children's category. The competitions encompass the Open, Master, Junior, Subjunior, Children's categories, and athletes with Down syndrome, making it an inclusive event that gathers the best of national powerlifting.

Boosting Sports and Tourism

Beyond sports development, events of this magnitude position Quintana Roo as a key destination for sports tourism, generating economic activity and visibility for the state capital. The opening ceremony was also attended by Luis Onofre, president of the Mexican Powerlifting Federation; Mariana López, president of the Quintana Roo Powerlifting Association; José Canul Tun, director of the Municipal Institute of Physical Culture and Sport of Othón P. Blanco; and Omar Govea, Undersecretary of Planning, Tourism Development, and Regulatory Improvement of SEDETUR.

Concluding the opening events, the head of CODEQ, on behalf of Governor Mara Lezama, wished success to all athletes participating in the national competition.