Paulino will seek to become the first Dominican woman to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games.
The Dominican Republic (DR), which achieved an unprecedented 5 medals in Tokyo 2020, will compete in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with the illusion of at least matching that figure with a delegation that has long had a name and surname: Marileidy Paulino.
The world champion in the 400 meters, who made her presence felt in the Japanese capital with silver medals in the individual and mixed 4×400, leads a group of 57 Dominican athletes distributed in 12 sports.
Among these are athletics, weightlifting, taekwondo and boxing, which, together with baseball, are the only disciplines that have reached the podium for the country in the Olympic Games.
Paulino will try to become the first Dominican woman to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games. And, judging by what she has shown in the last two years, the Diamond League champion is one of the favorites to win a medal in the Parisian event.
Marileidy, 27 years old, has reiterated that her goal is to cross the distance first and fill herself with glory. In France, she will have to run a perfect race from the start, the only weak point that the Dominican athlete shows on the track, because from the moment she picks up the pace, her sprint is one of the best in the world.
Marileidy Paulino wins second race in a row in the Diamond League
Weightlifting, boxing and taekwondo
But not all Dominican aspirations rest on the sprinter, as the country is traditionally a major world competitor in weightlifting, boxing and taekwondo.
Crismery Santana, with her bronze in the 87 kilograms in Tokyo, returns to the Olympic Games this time in the 81 kilograms in weightlifting. Another experienced in this sport, Beatriz Pirón, will become the first Dominican to compete in four Olympic editions.
Boxing is pinning its hopes on Cristian Pinales (80 kilograms), María Moronta (66) and Yunior Alcántara, 51 kilograms champion of the Pan American Games of Santiago de Chile 2023.
Only two Dominicans qualified in taekwondo: Bernardo Pie and Madelyn Rodríguez. The former is the brother of Luisito Pie, winner of the country’s only medal (bronze) at the Rio 2016 Games.
The novelty of these games for the Dominican Republic will be to have for the first time a soccer team, which will be led by English Leeds United defender Junior Firpo. Midfielder Peter Federico, 21, recently transferred from Real Madrid to Getafe for the next four seasons, will also be there.
Expectations
“We believe in our athletes, they have always been dedicated, determined to shine for their country. We are convinced that we will once again achieve an extraordinary performance in Paris. There is a lot of enthusiasm in the whole delegation and the athletes are very motivated,” Dominican Sports Minister Francisco Camacho told EFE news agency.
He stressed that Paulino is the “big star” of the delegation, but did not fail to praise the other athletes who will represent the island nation.
“We have always been fighters in boxing, weightlifting, boxing, judo. There are also the ‘Queens of the Caribbean’ (the women’s volleyball team). Dominican sport has gained international respect based on the hard work and sacrifice of its athletes, coaches and leaders,” said the official.
Dominicans will also compete in the Olympic Games in swimming (sprint and diving), equestrian (dressage), wrestling, gymnastics (artistic) and shooting.
Before the five medals in Tokyo, the country had only won seven medals since its beginnings in the Olympic Games, precisely in the Japanese capital in 1964.
The Dominican anthem has been played three times: Félix Sánchez’s gold medal in Athens 2004, boxer Félix Díaz’s gold medal in Beijing 2008 and ‘Super’ Sánchez’s second golden metal in London 2012.
Will it be heard again in Paris?
The country has 12 disciplines to try.
By Ramón Santos Lantigua
Source:Elnuevodiario.com.do
