Veteran handball player Ciris García had decided to end her playing career in the summer of 2024, but a call from coach Camilo Estévez, her coach of 20 years, brought her back to the sport. With just a month and a half before the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, García rejoined the team to help them win a medal.
Despite struggling with the physical demands of the sport after her retirement, García returned with the goal of contributing to the team and winning a medal. However, the Puerto Rican women's team lost 32-28 to Mexico in the bronze medal match, marking the first time in six editions that they failed to reach the podium.
García expressed mixed feelings about her last 60 minutes as a player, having been a medalist in the previous five Central American Games. Although her playing career has ended, García will continue to be involved in the sport as the coach of the men's team, which will face Cuba for the gold medal on Friday.