Dominican Sportswriters have announced their pick of the best athletes in 2008. Feliz Diaz, who won gold in the Beijing Olympics in the 64 kilos category in boxing, and Gabriel Mercedes, silver in Beijing in taekwondo, both received the Best Athlete of the Year trophy. The event is sponsored by the Cerveceria Nacional Dominicana brewery (Presidente beer), and took place at the Santo Domingo Hilton.
The best in each sport are:
Amateur Baseball: Edison Ortiz
Amateur Boxing: Feliz Diaz
Archery: Paris Goico, Ludis Tejada
Badminton: Nelson Javier,Yomaira Sanchez
Bowling: Hilton Omar Nunez, Aumi Guerra
Car Racing: Ramon Juan Lopez
Chess: Ramon Mateo, Kenia Polanco
Cycling: Wendy Cruz
Fencing: Gonzalo Frechilla, Dahiana Joseph
Golf: Juan Carlos Perello, Gabriella Canals
Greco Roman Wrestling: Hansel Ramirez, Elsa Sanchez (free style)
Gymnastics: Jesus de Leon, Yamilet Pega
Handball: Pablo Jacobo, Suleydi Suarez
Hockey: Rafael Suero, Melissa Correa
Horse Racing: Joel Rosario
Judo: Teofilo Diez, Maria Garcia
Karate: Alberto Mancebo, Maria Dimitrova
Karting: Jimmy Cabrera
MLB baseball: Albert Pujols
Modern Penthatlon: Yacil Valera, Yina Carolina Zapata
Motocross: Raynear Mejia
Motocycling: Darwin Hernandez
Precision Shooting: Wady Chamoun, Rosario Pina
Pro Basketball: Alfred Horford Reynoso
Pro Boxing: Victor Mermelada Cayo
Racquetball: Luis Perez
Rowing: Johan Rodriguez, Karen Severino
Sailing: Raul Aguayo
Skeet: Juan Manuel Dujarric
Softball: Victor Encarnacion, Rosaury Perez
Superior Basketball: Juan Bautista Araujo, Andreina Paniagua
Swimming: Jacinto Ayala, Yina Carolina Zapata
Table Tennis: Juan Vila Jr., Nieve Xue
Taekwondo: Gabriel Mercedes, Deysi Montes de Oca
Tennis: Victor Estrella, Franchesca Segarelli
Track & Field: Arismendy Peguero, Yoel Tapia, Pedro Mejia, Carlos Yohelin Santa, Mariely Sanchez
Triathlon: Javier Cuevas, Laura Gaytan
Weightlifting: Juan Jimenez, Yudelkis Contreras
Volleyball: Jose Caceres, Bethania de la Cruz
Coach of the Year: Pedro Luis Diaz (boxing)