Sports
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Colombia's presidential elections – held every four years – usually coincide with the World Cup. The last time Colombia qualified to play in the tournament was France 1998. That year, the presidential runoff was scheduled for Sunday, June 21, the day before Colombia would play Tunisia. Bogotá, where we lived, was its usual cold and my dad, a TV producer, insisted we go watch the game somewhere warmer.
On Saturday we drove to a small town called Carmen de Apicalá in the Tolima region, with a yearly average temperature of 82 degrees F, and booked into a hotel made up of small colonial style houses with a pool.
My brother (14 at time) and I (then age 9) spent the day swimming and playing International Superstar Soccer on our Nintendo 64, while my dad had beers and talked with locals to figure out where to watch the Colombia game. Sunday morning, we watched Germany and Yugoslavia play out an exciting 2-2 draw. He then took a decision: We are going to Ibagué tomorrow. A two-hour drive away, Ibagué is the capital of the Tolima region and also Dad's hometown. So there would be somebody to hug if Colombia scored, or even won.
First, we stayed to see the locals celebrate the election victory of the Conservative Party over the Liberals with blue fireworks. My dad seemed oblivious. For him, what was more important for the country would come the next day.
We set off the next morning. On the way, dad suddenly insisted we stop because he needed to buy something important. He came back with a huge Colombian flag that he waved from outside the car window for the rest of the ride, receiving various thumbs-up from fellow commuters.
In Ibagué, we went to my aunt Gloria's house. Its third and last floor wasn't completely built yet, but we used it as a kind of terrace to watch the game while eating BBQ. There we saw Léider Calimenio Preciado score the only goal of the game. After the game my dad was drunk. My aunts and uncles were drunk. I was too young to drink, but I was drunk with happiness. We took the streets to celebrate by throwing white flour at each other.
That was almost 16 years ago and it was, for now, the last time that a Colombian player scored in a World Cup. We have had three horrible presidents since then, and we will probably have a runoff this year between two horrible candidates. But, if we can have a day as beautiful as that one, none of that will matter for a while. The country will be happy. The country will be well.
On June 14 Colombia plays its first group game against Greece. A presidential runoff, if needed, will be held on June 15.
As told to Africasacountry.
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