DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

After more than two decades in the elite ranks, Dominican gymnastics icon Yamilet Peña is preparing for a final curtain call. The 34-year-old athlete, who first fell in love with the sport while watching the 2003 Pan American Games from the stands in Santo Domingo, now aims to retire following the 25th Central American and Caribbean Games, scheduled to begin on 24 July 2026.

Peña’s journey has come full circle. While she rose to global prominence by finishing sixth in the vault final at the London 2012 Olympics, her heart remains tied to the local pavilion where her dreams began. After a three-year hiatus from competitive platforms, during which she focused on motherhood and her Olympic Gymnastic Academy (OGA), she returned to training last September under the guidance of Amauris Holguín.

In Yamilet Peña’s case, her career was built on the Produnova, a vault so dangerous it is...