By Gary Anderson

Ricky Martin will perform at the Opening Ceremony of the Central American and Caribbean Games next month ©Getty ImagesPuerto Rican pop star Ricky Martin will perform at the Opening Ceremony of the Central American and Caribbean Games next month while the traditional lighting of the New Fire Flame took place at the Pyramids of the Moon and Sun in Teotihuacan.

Martin, 42, will perform at the Opening Ceremony of the 22nd edition of the Games, which are due get underway at the 26,000 capacity Luis Pirata Fuente Stadium in Veracruz, Mexico, on November 14.

The Games are scheduled to last until November 30 and will be the fourth time they have been staged in Mexico, with all three past events taking place in Mexico City, beginning with the inaugural event in 1926 followed by editions in 1954 and 1990.

Port city Veracruz is the capital of the state of Veracruz and Games organisers are expected around 5,700 athletes from 31 countries to take part in competition across 36 sports.

Meanwhile, today also saw the lighting of the New Fire Flame at the historical Aztec site of Teotihuacan, around 30 miles outside Mexico City, marking the build-up to the Games.

The Ceremony also marks the start of the cycle leading up to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The New Fire Flame was lit at a ceremony at the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan ©Mexican Olympic CommitteeThe New Fire Flame was lit at a ceremony at the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan ©Mexican Olympic Committee



Mexican Olympic Committee President Carlos Padilla Becerra was joined at the lighting ceremony by a number of dignitaries, including Central American and Caribbean Sports Organisation (CACSO) President Hector Cardona, Governor of Veracruz Javier Duarte and Governor of the State of Mexico, Eruviel Ávila Villegas.

After a parade of the flags of the 31 nations that make up the CACSO, Cardona hailed it as a "special day" and that the New Fire represents the "desire in athletes hearts to battle to win."

Before officially lighting the flame, Becerra said: "I want to thank all the authorities for their support to carry out this important ceremony" adding that the Teotihuacan site "is a prime example of ancient civilizations that today give guidelines to take Mexico into the oldest Games in history, the Olympics. "

The flame was then passed onto Mexican javelin thrower Abigail Gomez who became the first athlete to carry it on its journey to Veracruz.

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