11 August 2003

Volunteers are heroes of the Games
Diario Libre reports that the 8,000 volunteers who worked assisting participants in the Pan Am Games have been the backbone of the event. Their job has been to resolve the day-to-day problems of the athletes, coaches and delegates. The volunteers received a uniform, transportation, accreditation and meal stipends, and may also participate in the final parade during the Games’ closing ceremonies. Of the total number, 3,000 of the volunteers are English-speaking, and many are university students.
Diario Libre also reports on the success of the presentations held at the Parque del Este amphitheater. Although the venue has a capacity for 5,000 spectators, only 3,500 are admitted at a time for reasons of security, where many top Dominican performers have taken the stage. Scheduled to perform this week at the amphitheater are:

Monday, 11 August: Fefita la Grande, Diómedes y Grupo Mío
Tuesday, 12 August: Noche Típica, José El Calvo, El Prodigio
Wednesday, 13 August: Popular Caribbean music, Los Hermanos Rosario (merengue)
Thursday, 14 August: Drum Festival, with Brazilian group Axe Capoeira and Guarionex Aquino
Friday, 15 August: Traditions of America, with the drums of San Millan, Peña Suazo and the Banda Gorda (merengue)
Saturday, 16 August: Caribbean Show, starring Jossie Esteban (merengue)
DR ranks 10th after first week
Dominican participation in the Pan Am Games has the country in 10th place as of Sunday, 10 August. Dominican medals include gold in the 400-meter hurdles (Félix Sánchez) and the high jump (Juana Arrendel) events. The DR has won silver medals in wrestling, judo and basketball and bronze in ping pong, sailing, dressage, javelin. Over the weekend, the DR won its first medals in dressage (Yvonne Losos) and sailing (Raul Aguayo). http://www.santodomingo2003.com/es/medallero/index.html

The sweetest victory
Juana Arrendel made a dramatic comeback on Friday, 8 August to win the high jump event in the Pan American Games. She had been stripped of her gold medal in the 1999 Winnipeg Games, on charges of doping. Arrendel tied Maria Rifka with a distance of 1.94 meters, but won the gold because she accomplished the mark in five jumps, versus six made by Rifka. Arrendel’s mark is one centimeter more than the 1.93 jump she registered in the Winnipeg Pan Am Games in 1999.
Arrendel explained she was under great pressure to perform in Santo Domingo. “Mission accomplished,” said a euphoric Arrendel on the day of her victory. “I worked for this and here it is. I fulfilled my duty because everyone was waiting anxiously for this medal and I got it.”
 

Source: http://dr1.com

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