Diaz Brings Home the Gold – the Second for the Dominican Republic from Beijing Olympics

On Saturday F élix Díaz wrote a new page in the history of Dominican sports when he won the Olympic gold medal in the Light Welterweight Boxing event in Beijing .

““I came here for a medal. I wanted gold and I got gold,” said an ecstatic Díaz after he defeated favored-to-win Manus Boonjumnong of Thailand by 12-4.

“I came here for a medal. I wanted gold and I got gold,” said an ecstatic Díaz after he defeated favored-to-win Manus Boonjumnong of Thailand by 12-4. Díaz’s gold was the second medal to be won by a Dominican in Beijing . Yulis Gabriel Mercedes won a silver medal in Taekwondo.

This gold medal represents an important milestone for the Dominicans as they’ve been so few and far between. In 2004 when Félix Sánchez won the gold medal for the 400 meter hurdles, it was the first time a Dominican athlete had ever stepped onto the winners’ podium. Díaz’s victory, in fact, is the first medal to be won by a Dominican boxer in 24 years.   

Just as track star Félix Sánchez was welcomed home after winning the gold in the 2004 Olympics in Athens , the Dominican people will pour out onto the streets to welcome home their second gold medalist: F élix Díaz.

Message of Congratulations from the President

President Leonel Fernández sent a message of congratulations to the winning boxer Félix Díaz assuring him that the heart of every Dominican is overcome with pride and patriotism over this historical triumph.

“Today the Dominican Republic is united in our hearts, in a single heart. We watched every punch, every move, every bead of sweat that fell from this brave boxer as he fought in the ring…fighting so that today our country can enjoy a second gold medal in an Olympic competition,” said the President. 

The President and his family watched the fight from home. At 12:30 in the afternoon, Dominican time, the President called Díaz and told him that he’d felt in his heart from the beginning that he would win the fight. He assured Díaz that the Dominican people are waiting for him to come home to give him the proud and joyous welcome he deserves.

“Our two Felixes have made the Dominican people proud and happy and have shown that, regardless of how difficult the circumstances may be, the children of this land are prepared to demonstrate that we’re always ready to move forward,” said the President.

The President said that as he watched each moment of the fight, he felt a swelling of pride in his heart and later, hearing the notes of our national anthem, he felt he was there standing beside the boxer in Beijing .

In his message of congratulation to Félix Díaz, President Fernández underscored the challenge of strengthening sports in the Dominican Republic so that in the next Olympic Games we can win many more medals. He added that this can be done by showing sustained support for every athletic discipline.

“Our two Felixes have made the Dominican people proud and happy and have shown that, regardless of how difficult the circumstances may be, the children of this land are prepared to demonstrate that we’re always ready to move forward,” said the President.

President Fernández also congratulated the rest of the athletes who won medals at the games. He noted that they too will be greeted with the love and respect they deserve for having given their best to make us all proud to be Dominican.

In addition and under the President’s instructions, the architect Alma Fernández, Director of the National Housing Institute (INVI) will give a house to the gold-medalist Félix Díaz.

Ms. Fernández noted that the government also awarded a home to the athlete Yulis Gabriel Mercedes, winner of the silver medal in Taekwondo, as part of the President’s initiative to support and honor the Dominican athletes who compete for the nation in the Olympic Games.