The Dominican Republic's Eliseo Romero has been elected as Pan American Sambo Union President at a Congress held in his home country of Dominican Republic ©FIAS

Eliseo Romero from the Dominican Republic has been elected as President of the Pan American Sambo Union, succeeding Colombia's Omar Lopera.

Lopera's did not stand for re-election at the Congress, with Romero and Sambo and Associated Sports Federation of Costa Rica President Guillermo Sanchez bidding to succeed him.

The Congress took place at the Whala Boca Chica Hotel in Boca Chica in the Dominican Republic before the Pan American Sambo Championships.

The Dominican Republic is one of the continent's leading sambo nations, and previously held the Pan American Championships in 2019.

Although Romero's margin of victory has not been provided, he received the largest number of votes from the 21 countries who took part in the secret ballot.

Eliseo Romero will lead a Pan American Sambo Union which includes Trinidad and Tobago's Jason Fraser, second left, as a vice-president ©FIAS
Eliseo Romero will lead a Pan American Sambo Union which includes Trinidad and Tobago's Jason Fraser, second left, as a vice-president ©FIAS

The new President vowed to strive for unity in office.

"I am grateful to all the participants of the congress who supported me during the last vote," Romero said.

"I also want to assure all members of our pan American sambo family that I will make every effort to develop our beloved sport on the continent and in the world.

"Sambo is an individual sport, but together we are a team and we will work together."

Elections also returned José Angel Arteaga of Mexico as general secretary, Trinidad and Tobago's Jason Fraser, the United States' Mikhail Kozitsky and Croimain Roberson of Haiti as vice-presidents and Cesar Arteaga of Venezuela as treasurer.

A total of 22 countries took part in the Pan American Sambo Championships in Santo Domingo ©FIAS
A total of 22 countries took part in the Pan American Sambo Championships in Santo Domingo ©FIAS

After the Congress, Venezuela topped the medals table at the Pan American Championships at the Pabellón Balonmano venue in Santo Domingo with seven golds in a tournament that attracted entries from 22 countries. 

Francis Solorzano in the women's sport sambo 54 kilograms and Luisaigna Campos in the women's combat sambo 50kg added to Venezuela's five victories from the first day.

Campos also triumphed in the sport sambo at 50kg, while two winners came in the men's combat sambo through Lucas Borregales at 64kg and Paul Amaya at 79kg.

The other gold medallists for Venezuela came in women's sport sambo with Rosbelis Guedez at 54kg and Bárbara Ruiz Timaure at 65kg.

The US were second on the medals table with six golds, including two for Ivan Lopouchanski at 71kg in the men's combat and sport sambo.

Hosts Dominican Republic were third with four gold medals, with Maria Pena and Audrey Puello doubling up in the women's 72kg and over-80kg age brackets respectively in combat and sport sambo.

Dominican Republic is also hosting the World Beach Sambo Championships, which are scheduled to start today in Juan Dolio.