Dominican Republic in the 2012 Olympics, Dominicanos en los Olympicos

The Dominican Republic and Dominicans throughout the Diaspora will be nailed to their television sets to follow the Dominican athletes. The Dominican Republic is represented by 35 athletes and they will be competing in ten sports. Eighteen-year-old Luguelin Santos has perhaps the best chance to medal in the 400 meters.

Dominicans are hyper-nationalistic when it comes to their sports. Which Dominicans are playing in a typical MLB game is much more important to Dominican fans than who is winning the game. I once overheard a Dominican man at the library comment, "I don't care who wins the World Series, whichever team has more Dominican players that's who I root for."

The DR will compete in track and field (11), boxing (3), gymnastics (1), judo (1), shooting (1), swimming (2), taekwondo (1), table tennis (1), weight lifting (2) and volleyball (12).

Track and Field: The men are Winder Cuevas, Felix Sanchez (400m hurdles), Luguelin Santos (400m), Carlos Jorge (200m), Gustavo Cuesta, Arismendy Peguero, John Soriano and Joel Mejia (4 x 400 m relay) and the women Ildette Lavonne (100 m hurdles), Marielis Sanchez (200 m), Raysa Sanchez (400 m).
Boxing: William Encarnacion (bantamweight), Wellington Arias (lightweight), Junior Castillo (middleweight).

Gymnastics: Yamilet Pena (women)
Judo: Maria Garcia (52 kg)
Shooting: Sergio Pinero (trap)
Swimming: Nicolas Schwab (200 m freestyle), female swimmer Dorian McMenemy (100 m butterfly)
Table Tennis: Luis Lin Ju (men's singles)
Taekwondo: Yulis Gabriel Mercedes
Weightlifting: Yuderkis Contreras (53 kg), Beatriz Piron (women)
Women's Volleyball: Candida Estefany Arias, Milagros Cabral, Brenda Castillo, Bethania de la Cruz, Karla Echenique, Lisvel Mejia, Gina Mambru, Niverka Marte, Sidarka Nunez, Priscila Rivera, Cindy Rondon, Annerys Vargas.

Luguelin Santos of Dominican Republic is a favorite in the 400 meters at the 2012 Olympics