The front pages all tell the story of how two-time world champion and Pan American victor, Felix Sanchez, won the 400-meter hurdles final yesterday afternoon, amid screams and tears of joy from a nation that sorely needed a boost. Sanchez, who had won his preliminary heats in walkovers, was barely challenged at the eighth hurdle by the USA’s James Carter. Living up to his self-designated nickname of “Super” Sanchez, the athlete shifted gears in the final leg and went on to win the race with a time of 47.63, nearly half a second over Danny McFarlane of Jamaica and Namen Keita of France. Carter faded to fourth, apparently stunned by the sight of he Sanchez whizzing by. This was the 43rd straight victory for the DR’s track-and-field hero, as he chases the record of 122 consecutive victories set by the great Edwin Moses. Last night, NBC featured the 400-meter hurdle race and admitted that of all the events in the track and field category, the winner of this race was as good as a foregone conclusion.
Sanchez, who was born and raised in the United States, chose to run for the Dominican Republic in honor of his Dominican-born parents. And while his Spanish is certainly not the best, he was proud to bring his medal to the Dominican Republic. He expressed his plans to return to his “home” as soon as possible where he hoped he would be well-received. President Fernandez and many of his staff watched the race from the National Palace and were visibly overjoyed at the spectacle. Fernandez promised a warm welcome for the hero. Roque Napoleon Munoz, the only Dominican ever named to the International Olympic Committee, was on hand in Athens to award his fellow compatriot with the gold medal and his wreath crown. The sound of the Dominican National anthem being played for the first time in the Olympic Games brought tears to the eyes of a great many people, men and women alike, in offices and homes across the country. When Sanchez was asked to say a few words, all he could manage to say was that he didn’t have the words to express his feelings on the victory or “the support he received from his country.” He hoped everyone would “enjoy this triumph together” when he returned to the DR.