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NewsWhore
05-21-2012, 01:20 PM
The Dominican delegation to the London 2012 Olympics will be the largest ever. The DR took 24 athletes in individual events to the Beijing 2008 Olympics. So far, 34 Dominican athletes have qualified for the London Olympics.

Dominicans have made qualifying standards for track and field (10), boxing (3), women's volleyball (12), swimming (2), weight lifting (2), gymnastics (1), skeet (1), judo (1), table tennis (1) and tae kwon do (1), reports the Dominican Olympic Committee. Pending for qualification is the Dominican basketball team (July qualifier), and Dominican handball (in Denmark this week).

The Dominican Republic is behind the US and Canada (150 qualified each), Argentina (125), Colombia (104), Cuba (91), Brazil (87), Mexico (84) and Venezuela (53).

Many of the Dominican athletes have qualified thanks to private sponsorship that has paid for their training, as in the case of Yamilet Pena in gymnastics, and others have trained abroad all their lives, as in the case of the two swimmers.

Competing for the DR in track and field are Felix Sanchez, a former gold medalist in the 2004 Olympics; Luguelin Santos (who is currently competing in the Diamond League), Marielys Sanchez, Wilder Cuevas, Idellete Lavonne and Raysa M. Sanchez.

The boxers are Junior Castillo, Wellington Arias and Junior Encarnacion.

In weightlifting, Yuderquis Contreras and a second woman who is yet to be chosen.

In taekwondo, Gabriel Mercedes, the silver medalist at the Beijing Olympics, will be back.

In swimming, Nicholas Schwab and Dorian McMenemy.

In skeet the post will be held by Sergio Pinero or Eduardo Lorenzo.

In judo, Maria Garcia qualified, and in table tennis Juan Lin Ju.

More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#10)