Dominican Republic standards improving thanks to Olympic Solidarity, claims secretary general

By Duncan Mackay

The Dominican Olympic Committee (DOC) has spent $440,666 (£271,959/€349,867) of Olympic Solidarity funding in the past nine months on developing sport in the country, it has been revealed.

The figure was revealed by Antonio Acosta, director of the programme, who claimed that the funding has contributed greatly to significantly raising the level of sport in the Dominican Republic.

Among the sports that have benefited from the funding between January 2014 and September are archery, badminton, basketball, canoeing, handball, fencing, football, gymnastics, hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, volleyball weightlifting and wrestling.

Acosta, who is also secretary general of the DOC, announced that five scholarships have been awarded to young athletes to help them prepare for Rio 2016, along with financial help to coaches and leaders of national federations to participate in sports management courses and conferences.

During his presentation, Acosta reported that the main objective of this programme is to continue to support the activities of the athletes, coaches and managers.

Boxer Manuel Felix Diaz took gold for the Dominican Republic in the light welterweight at Beijing 2008 ©Getty Images

The Dominican Republic made its Olympic debut at Tokyo 1964 and taken part in every Summer Games since.

It has won six medals, the first coming at Los Angeles 1984 when Pedro Nolasco won a bronze in boxing.

Its first gold medal came at Athens 2004 when Félix Sánchez won the 400 metres hurdles.

Boxer Manuel Felix Diaz claimed the country's second gold at Beijing four years later, taking victory in the light welterweight division.

Sánchez regained his 400m hurdles title at London 2012, one of two medals won by Dominican Republic athletes at those Olympics.

The other came when Luguelín Santos took silver in the 400m.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]