The double Olympic medalist in Tokyo 2020, Marileidy Paulino, was the great star of the II “Isaac Ogando” Athletics Invitational, winning two gold medals during the event held on the Luguelín Santos track of the local sports complex.
Paulino confirmed his star status by winning the 100 and 200 meter dash to give Peravia two of the three gold medals won by that province in the event.
Another who starred in the event was José González, also from Banilejo as Marileidy, winning gold in the 100 and 200m, the two main speed events.
Paulino’s first gold came in the queen event of athletics, the women’s 100 meters, where he won with a time of 11.58 seconds. Martha Méndez and Kiara Rodríguez, from Independencia and La Vega, took silver and bronze with respective times of 11.76 and 12.10.
Paulino, the first Dominican woman to win an Olympic medal and the only one to win two metals in the same Olympics, needed 23.01 seconds to turn around the track and also dominate the 200m.
The native of Don Gregorio, Nizao, who won two silvers in Tokyo, one in the 400 flat and the other as a member of the 4×400 mixed relay, was escorted by Fiordaliza Cofil, a substitute for the mixed relay who climbed on the podium in Tokyo. The native of La Romana achieved a time of 23.38 and Martha Méndez, from the province of Independencia (Jimaní), obtained the bronze with a time of 23.94.
Gonzalez’s gold
The hectometer and 200m events in the men’s superior division were dominated by José González from Banilejo, one of the budding stars of Dominican athletics. He ran the 100 dash in 10.43 seconds to beat veterans Christopher Valdez (San Cristóbal) and Mayobanex De Oléo (Barahona), owners of silver and bronze with marks of 10.45 and 10.55.
González also emerged as the champion in the 200 meters with 21.06 seconds and joined his countryman Marileidy as the only double champions of the event.
Yohandry Andújar and Erick Sánchez, veteran sprinters from San Pedro and Azua, respectively, won silver and bronze with times of 21.18 and 21.40
Ogando and Happy
Similarly, Alexander Ogando and Lidio Félix, members of the 4×400 mixed relay that won silver at Tokyo 2020, by winning the 200 and 400m, successively, confirmed their status as favorites.
Ogando, from San Juan de la Maguana, grabbed the gold in the U23 division, running the distance in 20.84 seconds. Rafely Romero, from San Pedro de Macorís, with 22.42 and David Calderón from Buenos Aires (22.43) escorted the champion, to obtain silver and bronze, respectively.
While Feliz showed his superiority in the 400m by winning gold in a time of 46.27, giving the province of Barahona its first title in the event. Robert King, from Samaná and Ferdy Agramonte, from San Juan, achieved silver and bronze with 46.59 and 46.84 seconds, respectively.
other champions
Other champions were Fiordaliza Cofil, Ferdy Agramonte and Juander Santos, running through La Romana, San Juan and Monte Plata, successively.
Agramonte took the gold in the 800 meters, with a time of 1:50.50, being escorted by veteran Tyron Reyes from Santiago (1:51.65) and Alex García from San Cristobal (1:52.09).
Cofil won the 400 smooth with a mark of 51.27, followed by Anabel Medina (53.20), from the Santo Domingo Province and Franshina Martínez (55.12), from San Juan de la Maguana.
On his side, Santos won the only gold medal achieved by Monte Plata in the event organized by the Dominican Athletics Federation and sponsored by the Ministry of Sports, the Dominican chapter of Solidad Olímpica and the program Creating Olympic Dreams (CRESO).
He won with a time of 50.56 seconds, ahead of Samanense Robert King (51.51) and Romanense Yerald Núñez (51.64).
more champions
In the other tests of the higher level, Ramoncito Mejía (San Pedro) won the 1,500 with a time of 3:58.01; Jilberto Santana, from La Romana, won the 5,000m with 14:48.28; Fabiola Álvarez (San Pedro) in the long jump did 5.53 and Domingo Reyes (Barahona) won in the men’s with 6.92.
Juander Bueno (El Seibo) was crowned in triple jump with 15.35m; Marianny Otaño (Independencia) was the best in the 100m hurdles scoring 14.20 and in men the winner with 14.31 was Isaías Blese Pie from Rome. Evilin Del Carmen (PSD) won with 58.10 in the 400 hurdles, Katherin Nina (San Pedro) led in the high jump with 1.75 and Shaquil Medina (PSD) did it in the men’s with 1.95.