Miss Universe and other Dominican sports stars received the Pan American Torch in New York

Renown Dominican figures of the sports world, from several generations, bore yesterday the Pan American Torch, during it’s second day in the city, where Amelia Vega, the brand new Miss Universe, met her fellow country men to celebrate the arrival of the Pan American Torch in Highbridge Park, Manhattan.


Hundreds of Dominican sports men established in the North American city, ran along the Pan American Torch, with other famous figures such as newscasters Jorge Ramos and Natalia Cruz (Telemundo), Mariela Encarnacion, and Celine Toribio.

The tour started in the corner of 135th Street and Broadway Avenue, in Manhattan, and continued till Dyckman & Nale, turned on St. Nicholas towards Highbridge Park, and then 175th Street and Amsterdan.

Wilfredo Almonte was the first of the sport men to bear the Pan American Torch, which was also bore by pitcher Danilo Rivas, baseball players, Maney Cabrera and Ivan Crispin, basketball players Winston Royal, Julian McKelly, and Luis Flores, University of Manhattan star basketball player and member of the Dominican National Basketball team.

“To bear the Pan American Torch is a great honor, even greater for the Games will be held in the Dominican Republic”, expressed Almonte, winner of a silver medal during the XIV Central American and Caribbean Games held in 1982, in La Havana, Cuba.

“I feel truly honored by the invitation”, declared Rivas, one of the best pitchers in the History of the Dominican Professional Basketball. “I will always be available for anything that may serve to contribute to heighten the name of my country”.

“This will be the most significant event in the Dominican sports history and it is our duty to give our support”, indicated Cabreja, one of the best pitchers of the Dominican Olympic Basketball and Softball.

“We are proud to be able to participate in such an event”, assured Crispin, one of the best short stop of Dominican amateur baseball, whose opinion was shared by Royal and Mckelly, two ex members of the Dominican national basketball selection.

Marta Vargas, Rafael Paniagua, Rosa Ventura, Rosanna Hernandez, Hector Sanchez, Osvaldo Aquino, Rosemary Berrido, Veronica Avila, Beneranda Avila, Clara Medina, Jose Veras, Daysi Reyes, and Chu Almonte also bore the Torch, together with Amparo Vidal, Jose Ledesma, Jose Olivares, Bernardo Reynoso, Jesus Estrella, Bernardo Reynoso, Jesus Estrella, Oris Fortuna, Martin Henriquez, Manuel Amadis, Gabriel Taveras, Esteban Polanco, Pedro Julio Peña, Gustavo Ortiz, Juan Jose Caceres, Leandro Dominguez, Melba Villalona, Carmen Gomez, Jeannette Bonet (from Puerto Rico), and Cesar Mendoza (from Nicaragua).

The tour ended in Hidebridge Park, Washington Heights, where the Pan American Torch was awaited by a crowd that enjoyed the presentation of several music groups, among them, Rey Reyes.

Amelia Vega, the Dominican Miss Universe arrived to Hidebridge Park at 3:30 p.m., where she was received by the crowd that acclaimed her. The beauty queen expressed her desire to be chosen as godmother of the Pan American Games that will be held in the Dominican Republic from August 1st to August 17th, and exhorted all Dominicans and Latin Americans to give their support to the Games.

Source: http://dr1.com

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