Calderon, Sanchez, Matos and de los Santos are the future of swimming

With 12 years as president of the Dominican Swimming Federation (Fedona, for short), which equates to two Olympic tournaments, Rafael Radhames Tavares has achieved attendance at the Olympic Games in London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016 and classified swimmers in Tokyo 2020, in addition to participating in 12 world championships of her specialty, Until 2019.

He also progressed to the Youth Olympic Games, where the country was represented by Dorian McMenemy and Jose Dominguez in 2014 and Marielle Mencia in 2018.

Although they were not on the podium, Tavares notes that Jacinto Ayala went to Beijing in 2008; Nicholas Schwab and McMenemy went to London 2012 and McMenemy to Rio Janeiro 2016 and are ranked B-class for Tokyo 2020, Domínguez 100 in chest and Crystal Lara 200 at noon.

As an immediate project of Fedona, it is developing José David Calderón and Simón Sánchez in diving. In the artistic swim of Biani Matos and in the open water Rayven de los Santos, “who emerged as our main surrogate generation,” said Tavares.

He complained about the lack of adequate swimming strengthening facilities, also noting that the main athletes train outside the country, as in the case of the Dominguez (swimming races), found in Utah and the United States and Lara (swimming races). Virginia, USA.

As well as Fendel Gomez Kazan (nailed) in Russia; Jonathan Ruffalcaba (nailed) in Guanajuato, Mexico; Argenis Álvarez (diving) Montreal, Canada; Fausto Huerta (swimming race) Virginia, USA and Mariel Mencia (swimming race), North Carolina.

Fedona Key Achievements

The federal leader is proud to advance to the Olympics, “ranked above countries in the region, which have a specific sports policy and better facilities for training athletes.”

The strengthening of institutions, the growth of associations, the possession of their own website, their presence in social networks and the increase in discipline, Tavares is part of his legacy, as he leads Dominican swimming.

Pan-American, this indicates that we have achieved sixth place in simultaneous diving, 10 meters, with Fendel Gomez and Jose Ruffalcaba. 7th place, 10 meters, with Ruffalcaba Peru; Eighth place on the launch pad for Tres Metros, with Ruvalcaba; Eighth place with Lara Crystal place.

In 2010, in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, two years after his rise to the presidency, Tavares was happy to bring two medals to the country, in artistic swimming, achieved by Catherine Martinez, Martinez, and Claudia Coeli.

Fedona’s offices are also adorned with two silver and bronze medals, which he won at the Central American Games in Cali, Colombia, in 2018 and a silver and bronze pinned to Lara’s chest, and the bronze worn by Frankie Gomez.

The country’s swimming chief indicated that the country has 12 athletes with markings at the Pan American Games Cali 2021, among them Mariel Mencia, Riley Bogadas, Elizabeth Jimenez and Darylis Ortiz.

As well as Alicia Perez, Denzel Gonzalez, Fausto Huerta, Andres Martigina, Robert Lise, Brandon Vives, Zinell Guzman and Alejandro Rosa.

“Everyone hopes to get the medals, and we are confident that we will have time to climb to the podium in all the styles we participate in,” said Tavares.