DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

The 27th Santo Domingo International Book Fair (FILSD) opens Thursday, 25 September at the grounds of the Plaza de la Cultura. The leading annual cultural event continues through 5 October. This 2025, the country’s most popular cultural event is dedicated to Dominican historian Frank Moya Pons. A pavilion at the fair will present most of his books in print for sale.

Joan Ferrer, director of the FILSD said Moya Pons is recognized for his lifelong dedication to historic researhc and educating on Dominican history.

This year the central theme of the book fair is children’s literature with an expanded section.

This year’s event will also welcome the Latin American Network of Literary Fairs and Festivals as guest of honor.

The ambitious program includes over 600 activities, featuring 182 book launches, 33 conferences, 125 talks, 65 workshops, and 103 colloquiums.

The fairgrounds has 15 themed pavilions, three conference halls, two auditoriums, and 123 dedicated spaces...

President Luis Abinader once more issued an urgent plea to the United Nations Security Council during his speech at the UN General Debate on 24 September 2025. He urged UN members —especially the five permanent ones— to swiftly approve a resolution to strengthen the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti.

Abinader highlighted the critical nature of the situation, noting that the MSS mission’s current mandate is set to expire on 2 October 2025.

“We must be aware that the MSS mandate expires on 2 October. We are facing a delicate period of transition that demands we guarantee legitimacy for the entire current contingent of the mission,” Abinader stated. “The Dominican Republic demands this request be supported, and we do so from the very border of the Haitian collapse.”

The President also emphasized the need for shared regional responsibility, calling on Latin American...

President Luis Abinader and President Irfaan Ali of Guyana were the two heads of government that accepted invitations to speak at the 2025 Concordia Summit, an event parallel to the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York City.

The Concordia Annual Summit is described as an event that convenes the world’s most prominent business, government, and nonprofit leaders to foster dialogue and enable effective partnerships for positive social impact. This global affairs forum takes place in New York City and examines the world’s most pressing challenges to identify avenues for collaboration.

The Presidency reported that the conversation with Abinader focused on the themes of democracy, security, and geopolitical risk.

During the high-level conversation moderated by Nicholas Logothetis, co-founder and chairman of the Concordia Leadership Council, President Abinader...

President Luis Abinader used a high-profile dinner on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly to champion the nation as a model of economic growth and social progress. Abinader declared that the Dominican Republic is charting a course toward prosperity by fostering a unique partnership between the public and private sectors.

The event, co-hosted by the Council of Ibero-American Business Alliance (CEAPI) and the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom, brought together over 300 CEOs from across Latin America, Spain, and Portugal at the Harvard Club.

President Abinader’s speech highlighted what he called a “development model that blends macroeconomic stability, openness to investment, and a strong commitment to social progress.” He presented statistics to back up his claim. Since 2019, the national poverty rate has dropped significantly, from...

Susan Segal, President Luis Abinader and Chairman Andres Gluski / Americas Society

President Luis Abinader met with leaders of the Americas Society/Council of the Americas as a side event to his participation in New York City in the 80th UN General Assembly. The meeting was from 3 to 4:30pm at the Americas Society on Tuesday, 23 September 2025.

Abinader joined AS/COA for the private event with corporate members, co-chaired by AS/COA President and CEO Susan Segal and AS/COA Chairman Andres Gluski.

President Abinader was accompanied by Minister of Industry and Commerce Víctor “Ito” Bisonó, Minister of Health Víctor Atallah, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the United States María Isabel Castillo Báez, Consul General of the Dominican Republic in New York Jesús Vásquez, and the president of the National Business Council (Conep) Celso Juan...

Minister of Industry and Commerce Victor “Ito” Bisono, represented President Luis Abinader at a high-profile meeting hosted by the Atlantic Council, bringing together global business leaders and investors. The event took place at the Virgin Hotel in Manhattan as part of the side events surrounding the 80th United Nations General Assembly. Also attending for the DR were Maria Isabel Castillo, Dominican ambassador to the United States and Roberto Herrera, country manager for InterEnergy Holdings in the Dominican Republic.

The Presidency reported that President Abinader was unable to attend due to severe traffic congestion in New York City, caused by heightened security and the movements of world leaders attending the UN sessions.

The meeting attracted prominent figures from the political, business, and academic spheres, including senior representatives from...

President Luis Abinader when addressing the 80th United Nations General Assembly warned that sargassum represents a direct threat to public health, regional economies, and environmental stability across the Caribbean. He called for greater international solidarity to confront the issue.

“For Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the triple planetary crisis—climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution—is not just a global challenge; it’s an existential threat. In the Caribbean, this crisis has a name and a face: sargassum,” said the President.

He explained that the massive invasion of seaweed has become a devastating phenomenon across the region, affecting coastal ecosystems, public health, and the livelihoods of thousands who depend on tourism and fishing. Leaders from the region are calling for international solidarity and climate justice—demands that...

Former President Leonel Fernández was in New York City for the “VII Global Forum on Latin America and the Caribbean” at Columbia University on 21, 22 and 23 September 2025. The event ran parallel to activities programmed for visiting missions from around the world to the 80th United Nations General Assembly.

The Columbia University event is aimed towards academics and figures working in the region’s political, economic and social fields. Former President Leonel Fernández, also president of the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (Funglode), and the runner-up Fuerza del Pueblo political party, led several sessions with the participation of prominent political leaders, academics, and representatives of international organizations.

US Congressman from New York’s 13th District, Dominican-born Adriano Espaillat participated. Dominican...

The operator of Las Americas International Airport (SDQ), Vinci Airports – Aerodom was fined US$5 million for the nine-hour blackout that affected airport operations on Sunday, 21 September 2025. An electricity glitch caused the power outage at the main terminal, affecting arrival and departure operations from 9:18 am to around 6 pm when power was fully restored. Around 50 flights were impacted.

The reaction comes after the Dominican Airport Commission met in an extraordinary session to review the technical report on the event, which concluded, preliminarily, that the failure was caused by the collapse of a medium-voltage component in the north terminal, combined with the unavailability of the backup electrical system, which significantly affected airport operations. As part of the measures adopted, the Commission decided that Aerodom must pay the Dominican State a...

Weatherman Jean Suriel forecasts rains for most of the country on Thursday, 25 September 2025, as a trough and a tropical wave 38 move across Dominican waters and land from Puerto Rico. The Invest 94L storm has a direction that is taking it to impact the east coast of the DR as it heads north. Yet, its wide range is bringing rains to most of the country.

The rains are forecast to last through Saturday, 27 September, impacting both Caribbean and Atlantic coasts and bringing drenching rains to most of the country.

The NHC of the United States reports that a tropical wave centered near the Dominican Republic continues to produce widespread disorganized showers and thunderstorms. The wave is expected to move west-northwestward, spreading heavy rainfall and gusty winds across Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic on Thursday, 25 September. The system is then expected to slow...

The New York Mets fans have responded with record attendance to the Citi Field stadium. Yet, MLB’s best-paid player, Juan Soto has not been able to make the difference, and the team continues to struggle to move beyond the regular season.

The crowds, nevertheless, have been able to watch as Juan Soto ends the season on a roll. He delivered his home run No. 43 in the eighth inning of the game the New York Mets lost to the Chicago Cubs 10-3.

The Mets have five more games to play in the regular season, giving Soto still a chance at reaching the very difficult 40-40 mark. Soto has a record of 43 home runs and 36 stolen bases as of 24 September 2025.

DR1 News will not be updated on Wednesday, 24 September 2025, because the day is a national holiday that celebrates the patron of the Dominican Republic, Our Lady of Mercedes.

The news will be compiled for the Thursday, 25 September 2025 edition.

Mariasela Alvarez shared details on Our Lady of Mercedes tradition in the Dominican Republic during her TV show aired on 22 September.

Learn more about Our Lady of Mercedes devotion: Esta Noche con Mariasela Omnesmag

23 September 2025

President Luis Abinader before taking off for New York City to participate in business and government affairs under the umbrella of the 80th United Nations General Assembly used about 10 minutes of his regular Monday press conference to highlight his agenda in New York. Throughout the meeting, he is accompanied by Minister of Foreign Relations Roberto Alvarez and Dominican ambassador in the United States, Maria Isabel Castillo Baez

Abinader traveled to New York on Monday, 22 September and will return on Wednesday, 24 September in the evening. He said he is scheduled to speak at the UN at 12:50pm on Wednesday. He is expected to once again speak up for international support to end the multidimensional crisis in Haiti, a country controlled by violent gangs. This will be Abinader’s fifth appearance at the General Debate, and in all he has appealed...

Upon arriving Monday, 22 September 2025 in the evening to New York City for his participation in the UN General Debate, President Luis Abinader answered press questions.

He clarified that the destruction of a speedboat in a joint operation of the Dominican Navy and the US South Command did not occur in Dominican waters. The operation had been described as in high seas near Beata Island, off the coast of the southwestern Pedernales province. The spokesperson for the Trump administration had praised the Dominican cooperation as an example that the Caribbean backs their new efforts to combat transshipment of drugs through Caribbean waters.

“We have a very tough stance when it comes to drug cartels. In other words, we believe in fighting them aggressively. The US government shares that position, and there was already a press conference where the entire situation was...

The Dominican Republic is participating in the 2025 New York Climate Week in New York City, with a high-level delegation led by Max Puig, the executive vice president of the National Council for Climate Change and Carbon Market (CNCCMC). The annual event, which brings together top leaders from government, business, academia, and civil society, runs parallel to the United Nations General Assembly.

Puig, along with CNCCMC technical director and COP vice president Sara González, arrived in New York to represent the nation. The Presidency highlighted that their participation underscores the Dominican Republic’s commitment to tackling climate change.

Puig emphasized the country’s dedication to key climate initiatives, including strengthening adaptation strategies, ensuring a just energy transition, and implementing national carbon markets. He noted that the delegation’s attendance is...

President Luis Abinader during his press conference on Monday, 22 September 2025, said he has instructed Minister of Public Works Eduardo Estrella to investigate the causes of the blackout that impacted around 50 flights that were detoured to other airports, or cancelled on Sunday, 21 September 2025. Las Americas International suffered a nine-hour blackout from 9:18am to around 2pm when power was gradually restored, with power fully back at 6pm in the main terminal. The control tower was not impacted because its backup power kicked in.

The President said the government wants to learn if there was negligence on behalf of the airport concessionaire.

The President explained during the 22 September 2025 press conference that Estrella as Minister of Public Works is the head of the Airport Department Council. The President said that the situation at Las Americas is...

A crucial bill aimed at tackling the Dominican Republic’s solid waste crisis has been stalled in the Senate for two months after it was approved by both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, preventing it from being sent to the President for final approval and enactment. The Senate has chosen not to submit it to the Presidency.

Hoy reports that the legislation, which would amend the existing Law 225-20 on Comprehensive Solid Waste Management and Co-processing, remains “held hostage” in the Senate archives, according to critics.

The delay comes despite the bill’s approval by the Senate on 23 July 2025. The Constitution and the Senate’s own rules require that such a bill be sent to the Executive Branch within 15 days for promulgation or review. No explanation has been given for the holdup, which some believe is due to pressure from business interests.

Hoy newspaper reports that...

Former Vice President Milagros Ortiz Bosch, director of the General Directorate of Government Ethics and Integrity (DIGEIG), is being urged to reevaluate the indicators used to measure transparency in public institutions—particularly the performance of their official transparency portals, El Caribe writes in an editorial.

The El Caribe call for scrutiny comes amid troubling revelations about alleged irregularities and information concealment at the National Health Insurance agency (Senasa), despite the institution housing an internal Commission on Government Integrity and Regulatory Compliance.

From January to June, El Caribe explains that DIGEIG reported that Senasa achieved an average transparency rating of 92.89%, consistently scoring high month after month. Such a figure raises concerns about the reliability of the monitoring process, considering the gravity of the...

Telecommunications companies Claro Dominicana and Altice are reminding all their prepaid customers to validate their identity before the 29 September 2025 deadline or risk losing the telephone number. This is in compliance with Resolution 064-2025 from the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel).

This new rule is designed to ensure that every prepaid line is registered to a person with an official ID. This will help prevent the illegal use of mobile services, protect users, and assist authorities in investigations related to crimes committed with mobile devices.

The service of those who do not validate their identity by the deadline will be temporarily suspended for up to two months. If the person fails to complete the process during that time, they will lose the assigned telephone number.

How to validate your number• Claro: Dial *456# on your phone. If you only...

A court in the Dominican Republic has sentenced Jairo Joel González Durán to eight years in prison for orchestrating a sprawling cryptocurrency and foreign exchange scam that defrauded hundreds of victims out of millions of dollars, El Nacional reports.

The Third Collegiate Court of the National District also ordered González to pay a fine of 300 times the minimum wage for the financial sector. His associate, Kelmin Santos Rodríguez, received a five-year suspended sentence and a 100-times minimum wage fine.

According to prosecutors, the convicted used digital platforms to lure more than 400 investors, promising safe returns on investments in a market they were not authorized to operate in. The fraud exceeded US$15 million, RD$34 million, and more than 3 million in Tether (USDT).

As part of his suspended sentence, Santos Rodríguez is required to live at a fixed address...

The head of the Organizing Committee for the Central American and Caribbean Games 2026, Jose Monegro, Sports Minister Kelvin Cruz and the president of Centro Caribe Sports Luis Mejia Oviedo were in New York for the official naming of Mets slugger Juan Soto as Sports Ambassador for the summer games slated to take place in Santo Domingo. The announcement was made during the Sunday, 21 September 2025 Mets game at the Citi Field.

The star outfielder was presented with a commemorative bat emblazoned with the Santo Domingo 2026 logo, a symbol of his new role. The honor, bestowed by the Organizing Committee, recognizes Soto’s status as a global icon and his deep connection to his home country, the Dominican Republic, which will host the games.

“It is a great honor for me to receive this appointment,” Soto said during the event. “Representing my...

The Dominican Republic’s women’s volleyball team, the B team with a new generation of players, fought their way to a bronze medal at the Norceca Final Six tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico. The team, affectionately known as the “Queens of the Caribbean,” relied on the breakout performances of Madeline Guillén, Alondra Tapia, and Massiel Matos and secured bronze in the event, El Nacional reports.

In a thrilling five-set showdown for third place, the Dominicans overcame a formidable challenge from Puerto Rico, winning 3-2 (25-22, 20-25, 19-25, 25-23, 15-13). Guillén led all scorers with 24 points, followed by Tapia with 17 and Matos with 13.

Head coach Marcos Kwiek praised his team’s resilience and said the Final Six tournament had been a key learning experience. “It was a good match,” Kwiek said. “The players have to get used to this level of play and...

Wednesday, 24 September, is the day the Dominican Republic remembers Our Lady of Mercy, an iteration of the Mother of Christ. Our Lady of Mercy is considered a patron of the Dominican Republic.

Those interested in religious culture can participate in the celebrations that are centered in Santo Cerro in central La Vega province. It is especially important for motorists travelling the Duarte Highway to be vigilant during the evening and night hours of 23 September, because many people will be walking the highway on a pilgrimage to the church at the top of the Santo Cerro.

In Dominican folklore, the story goes that Spanish troops were under attack by a large force of Taino Indians, and prayed to the Virgin to prolong the day so that they could finish the battle before reinforcements arrived for the Taino forces.

Law 139-97 consecrates the day as a...

President Luis Abinader and Minister of Tourism David Collado on 19 September 2025 officially opened the newly reconstructed access road to the stunning Aguas Blancas waterfall. The infrastructure cost more than RD$484.9 million and promises to be a game-changer for ecotourism in the mountain region.

The road had already been open for months to the general public. The 11.93-kilometer road is intended to significantly increase visitor traffic to the impressive natural site, that now is more accessible to both local and international tourists.

During the inauguration ceremony, Minister Collado highlighted the project’s dual purpose: to address a long-standing community request and to boost the local economy.

“This work will guarantee that more tourists visit this incredible natural destination,” Collado stated. “That will undoubtedly have a direct impact...

Grupo Martinon announced it is going forward with the construction of beach property in Bergantin, the new tourism and residential development east of Playa Dorada in Puerto Plata on the north coast.

Bergantin management had earlier announced the Spanish capital company was looking at investing more than US$180 million in the development in Puerto Plata.

Grupo Martinon already operates several hotels on the East Coast along the Punta Cana beach area and a hotel in Santo Domingo.

Grupo Martinon investments include: Playa BavaroHotel Secrets Royal Beach Punta CanaHotel Dreams Royal Beach Punta CanaHotel Dreams Royal Beach GardenHotel Dreams Flora Resort and SpaHotel Urbano Punta Cana

Uvero AltoHotel Dreams Onyx Punta Cana Resort and SpaHotel Dreams Onyx Splash Punta CanaHotel Breathless Punta Cana Resort and SpaHotel Secrets Tides Punta Cana

Santo DomingoHotel Hyatt...

Bloomberg writes about what is happening and what is on the books for tourism development in the Cabo Rojo beach strip in southwestern Pedernales province. The beach strip is an access point to reach the famous Bahia de las Aguilas, a beach that maintains its original state.

Bloomberg highlights the operation of the cruise terminal and recreational areas, and the construction of new hotels by the government to be operated by international chains. Likewise, the Abinader administration has invested heavily in infrastructure, including new roads, the water treatment and an international airport as it seeks to kickstart the new development.

According to the Bloomberg people, President Abinader wants to re-create Punta Cana on the other end of the country with this development plan. Bloomberg notes that things are behind schedule.

Read...

Ministry of Tourism and Dominican travel professionals are in Paris for the IFTM Top Resa that is being held 23 to 25 September 2025 at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles in the French capital city. This B2B event is for travel and tourism professionals to network and explore the latest in the industry. The event is regarded as the major annual international and French travel market event.

There are non-stop direct flights to Santo Domingo and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic from Paris BVA (Beavais, about 70 km from Paris), Paris Orly ORY, located 13 km from Paris, and Paris CDG, the Charles de Gaulle International Airport, some 30 km from Paris.

In the Caribbean, the DR competes with the French-speaking Caribbean beach destinations of Guadeloupe and Martinique.

Diario Libre reports that in 2024 the DR received around 157,000 French tourists. This is down from...

News analysts spent the weekend giving more explanations on the diverse rackets that impacted the state government insurance plan, Senasa. The details of the complicity of Senasa officials with private companies and the diverse schemes and enormous volume of irregular transactions have been coming to the open for the first time. The Abinader administration first had denied the difficulties, attributing the financial deficit to the more than two million affiliates added at the start of the Abinader administration. Yet, now the evidence of the complicities with Senasa insiders is appalling.

Business and news analysts Esteban Delgado and Jairon Severino looked into several reasons behind the current Senasa deficit scandal. Delgado explained several of the schemes that have led to the financial collapse of the state health insurance plan that has more than seven million affiliates.

Among...

The Metropolitan Office of Bus Services (Omsa) has temporarily suspended borrowing for the purchase of its vehicles on its routes, citing a comprehensive legal and administrative audit. The agency announced the measure, which it says is a move toward improving the quality of its services, as reported in Diario Libre. The measure is one of the first announced by Omsa, now under highly-reputed Oneximo Gonzalez.

In a press release, Omsa stated it “appeals to the understanding of all who have historically benefited from a unit of the institution to carry out some institutional, social, or other activity.” The agency noted that it hopes to reinstate the service once the audit is complete.

Onéximo González, Omsa’s executive vice president, confirmed the suspension aims to prevent inconveniences for those who might request vehicles, as no requests can be fulfilled at this time...

The executive director of the Social and Economic Council (CES) has delivered a 32-page document outlining 25 plans for action and 151 proposals regarding just about every aspect of Dominican relations with Haiti and its citizens. Haitian migration into the Dominican Republic was perhaps a leading area of discussion.

The CES executives, President Luis Abinader and former presidents, Hipolito Mejia, Leonel Fernandez, and Danilo Medina have been talking about the many issues since last May, and their report contains the conclusions of the meetings.

Number one on the list is the task of identifying and formalizing the Haitians in the Dominican labor market. Agriculture, construction, and now tourism are the areas where a large number of undocumented Haitians try to earn a living here.

Along with this bureaucratic process, according to the CES, there are also issues of national...

The Abinader administration has just announced a tender for the construction of 10 new penitentiary units in provinces around the country. The estimated budget calls for spending just over RD$7.5 billion. The most obvious objective of this major construction program is to drastically reduce the overcrowding in the nation’s current penitentiary facilities. Pedernales, Bahoruco (Neiba), Santiago Rodriguez, Hato Mayor, Azua, Cotui (Sanchez Ramirez), Bonao (Monseñor Nouel), El Seibo and Barahona would benefit.

The designs for the new penitentiary series include recreation areas, medical facilities and areas for farming activities. For the facility in Barahona, the prison project calls for incorporating farming areas and sports courts. In Hato Mayor, there will be an area to raise chickens, and in Azua the inmates will raise rabbits and chickens.

According to the report in the...

In a rare joint operation, the United States and the Dominican Republic conducted their first-ever coordinated counter-narcoterrorism mission, culminating in the destruction of a speedboat and the seizure of more than a ton of suspected cocaine off the coast of Pedernales province. The operation was carried out now that the Trump administration has underway a controversial anti-narcotics mission in the southern Caribbean.

The speedboat was on its way to dock in the Dominican Republic and use the nation as a bridge to transport cocaine to the United States.

The mission, which took place near Beata Island, began with an aerial military surveillance sweep by US forces. This intelligence allowed Dominican authorities to pinpoint the high-speed vessel, a “Go Fast” boat, carrying an estimated 1,000 kilograms of narcotics, according to Carlos Devers, spokesman for the Dominican...

25-year old Russian Dmitrii Novikov was arrested in the Dominican Republic. He was living with relatives in a villa in the Palmas del Sol II in the Bavaro section of Punta Cana.

The Attorney General Office says that he worked from here on the project known as Lakhta or The Company and carried out actions to spread disinformation and manipulate Internet platforms. The Attorney General Office said that the campaigns were directed at Dominican audiences and abroad, specifically mentioning Argentina.

Barrons covered the arrest and reported that the US Treasury Department says Project Lakhta is a Russian disinformation campaign targeting audiences in the United States, Europe, Ukraine and even Russia itself.

Major delays occurred at Las Americas International Airport (SDQ) caused by a power outage on Sunday, 21 September 2025. The Vinci-managed Aerodom airport reported that at least 20 flights were affected. Diario Libre publishes that 30 flights were impacted. Several flights were detoured to the airports of Santiago and Punta Cana.

The power outage began at 9:18am and immediately impacted airport operations. Luis José López, Aerodom’s Communications Director, confirmed that several flights had to be rerouted and departures and arrivals faced delays. Flights were resumed gradually after 2:40pm, El Nacional reported. The power service was fully restored at 6:05pm, Aerodom announced, as reported in Listin Diario.

Aerodom reported that power was first restored to the southern section of the terminal later in the day, with work continuing to fix the circuits in the...

AES Dominicana’s Andres power plant has temporarily ceased operations after an unprecedented buildup of sargassum seaweed choked its water intake system. The 319-megawatt natural gas facility, a key contributor to the nation’s grid, went offline Saturday, 20 September 2025 as crews scrambled to clear the coastal algae clog.

In a statement, the company said the plant was suspended after the “unusual accumulation” of seaweed overwhelmed its systems. Technical teams worked around the clock to restore service, with the hope of bringing the plant back online, at least partially, within the coming hours.

AES Dominicana stated that while the company has continuous monitoring and cleaning protocols in place to combat the effects of sargassum, the current event was “unprecedented.” The company highlighted that the natural phenomenon has intensified annually in the region, with its impact...

Dominican Republic’s own Yari Cleto and Julibeth Payano have secured their spot in the Beach Volleyball World Cup, set to be held in Australia this November 2025. The team earned their ticket after a decisive win at the qualifying tournament held right here in Punta Cana.

Playing on home sand at Los Corales beach, Cleto and Payano dominated their match against Nicaragua’s Socorro López and Lolette Rodríguez, winning in two straight sets (21-13, 21-11). The victory was the third straight for the Dominican pair, solidifying their place among the top 12 duos from the Norceca rankings competing in the event.

For Payano, this will be her third time competing at the World Cup, while Cleto is set to make her debut on the global stage.

The win is a significant milestone for the country’s beach volleyball program. “This is a great achievement for Dominican beach volleyball,” said...

The United States defeated Mexico to win the Norceca Women’s Final Six that took place in Guadalajara, Mexico. The US team would book its ticket to the gold medal match of the 2025 Norceca Women’s Final Six after defeating the defending champion Dominican Republic 3-1 (25-20, 16-25, 25-18, 25-22) in the semifinals at Unidad Deportiva López Mateos in Guadalajara.

This marks the fourth consecutive appearance for Team USA in the gold medal match, having earned silver in 2022, gold in 2023, and silver again in 2024, playing against the Dominican team.

For the Dominican Republic, this became the team DR’s first time competing for bronze since the event’s inception. The three-time champions had always contested the gold medal match until now.

The two teams had already met in the preliminary round, where USA also prevailed in four sets.

Statistically, the Americans held a narrow...

Competing in the 200m, Dominican sprinter Alexander Ogando placed sixth in the final of the World Athletics Championship (Tokyo, Japan), clocking in at 20.01. His personal best is 19.86.

The final runners were:Noah Lyles (USA) 19.52Kenneth Bednarek (USA) 19.58Bryan Levell (JAM) 19.64Letsile Tebogo (BOT) 19.65Zharnel Hughes (GRB) 19.78Alexander Ogando (DOM) 20.01Tapiwanashe Makarawu (ZIM) 20.12Sinesipho Dambile (RSA) 20.23

They competed in the World Athletics Championships that gathered 1,992 athletes from 193 different countries and were held in Tokyo, Japan from 13-21 September 2025. The athletes competed to full crowds at the Olympic Stadium. It was the same Olympic Stadium built for the 2020 Olympic Games that because of the Covid-19 was empty for the track and field events when the Japanese Olympics were held in 2021.

Ogando had been ranked fourth in the event...