The Dominican Republic’s team finished in third place at the 14th Pan American Taekwondo Championships held over the past weekend in Santo Domingo, thereby earning three gold medals. Gina Maria Ruiz won the third gold on Sunday in the 72-kilo event, defeating Mexican Maria de Jesus Mata. Ruiz had won a gold in the 2003 Pan American Games held in Santo Domingo.
On Saturday, Nancy Urraca took the gold in the 67-kilo category by defeating Heydi Juarez of Guatemala, a triple Pan American champion and the fourth-place winner at the Athens Olympics.
Luis Benitez defeated Mexican Erick Osorio Nunez to win gold on Friday in the 67-kilo men’s division. Benitez is a former gold medalist in the Pan Am Games in 2003 held in Santo Domingo.
The DR improved its results since the 13th Taekwondo Championship event held in Ecuador, where only two silver and two bronze medals returned to the DR. During the Santo Domingo Pan Am Games, Dominican athletes won three gold, two silver and two bronze.
Mexico was the overall winner with 79 points, followed by the US with 74 points and the DR with 68. Some 27 countries participated.