Things are on schedule for the completion of preparations for the XII National Games, scheduled to open in La Romana on April 29th. Reynaldo Nova, head of the Organizing Committee for the games, stated that the "stage is practically set" for this month’s event that will include the participation of 2,943 athletes competing in 25 different sports. The week-long competition must house, feed and transport the athletes, along with scores of trainers and managers. Nova said that only the new Olympic swimming pool and multi-use arena remain to be completed, and he expects to start filling the pool by April 20th. La Romana’s Francis Micheli Stadium has be refurbished at a cost of RD$30 million, and will be the scene of the opening ceremonies to be led by President Leonel Fernandez and Sports Minister Juan Marichal. The organizing committee has had to plan to serve 3 meals a day to more than 4 thousand people. For that purpose, according to Nova, advanced food preparation equipment has been imported from Spain, and SD’s most highly regarded chef, Mike Mercedes, has been retained to plan the menus. "This is going to be the best dining room in National Games History," he said. For the first time, badminton, volleyball and triathlon will be added to the traditional track and field events, basketball, beach volleyball, tai kwan do, tennis, ping-pong, skeet-shooting, weight-lifting and horsemanship.
