Dominican Republic at the Olympics
The Dominican Republic has been participating in the Summer Games since 1964 when they sent runner Alberto Torres de la Mota to Tokyo, Japan for the 100 meter dash competition. They have been participating in the Summer Games ever since.
The Dominican Republic athletes are represented by the Dominican Republic Olympic Committee (Comité Olímpico Dominicano) which was established in 1946 but was only recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 1962. Since their debut, Dominican Republic had to wait twenty years before they had a taste of their first Olympic medal. In 1984, boxer Pedro Nolasco became the first Olympic medalist from the Dominican Republic when he won the bronze in the men's bantamweight division when he defeated Canadian boxer Dale Walters.
For the next twenty years, Nolasco will be the only Dominican Republic athlete who holds an Olympic medal. In the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, Greece, Dominican Republic had their first taste of Olympic gold when Félix Sánchez dominated the men's 400 meter hurdles in August 26. Sanchez is not going to be the only Olympic gold medalist from the Dominican Republic though. In 2008, boxer Manuel Félix Díaz won the gold in the light welterweight division and jin Gabriel Mercedes took the silver in Taekwondo men's 58 kg. division.
In 2012, Félix Sánchez came back for the same sport and again took the gold in August 6 in London. Another runner, Luguelín Santos, also won the silver for men's 40 meter that very same day. The Dominican Republic athletes are indeed slowly but surely establishing their footing in the Summer Games but the Dominican Republic flag however, has never been seen in the Winter Olympics.
Related Pages
- List of all countries that have participated at the Olympic Games.
- About sport in Dominican Republic
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