Dominican and Nicaraguan athletes honored after Santo Domingo 2026 Games

In the wake of the Santo Domingo 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games, Dominican boxing has received significant recognition following a perfect performance of seven gold medals. Central Boxing organized an event to honor champions Estefany Almanzar, Junior Alcántara, Ezequiel Disney Medina, Miguel Ángel Encarnación, Ricardo Cuello, Noel Pacheco, and Cristian Pinales. Despite the success, Raquel del Río, president of Central Boxing, highlighted a lack of infrastructure, stating that while talent is abundant, the sport lacks proper training facilities and housing for athletes.

Simultaneously, Nicaragua held a gala at the Olof Palme Convention Center to honor its own medalists from the same games. The Nicaraguan delegation secured seven medals, including three silver and four bronze, across disciplines such as weightlifting, karate, taekwondo, and surf. Notable honorees included Candelaria Rezano, who earned Nicaragua’s first-ever bronze medal in surfing, and Orlando Vázquez, who won two silver medals in weightlifting.