At the Miami Open Panamericano in Gainesville, Florida, Dominican judokas Robert Florentino and José Nove captured silver medals, while Moira Morillo and Eiraima Silvestre secured bronze. The event served as a crucial qualifier for the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Creso’s support and the tournament awarded points towards qualification for the Lima 2027 Pan American Games.
Fierce Finals and Continental Podiums in Florida
The international tournament in Gainesville brought together 251 athletes from 40 countries and four continents. Robert Florentino navigated his way to the final in the -100 kilogram division. There, he met Cuba’s Iván Silva, dropping the gold-medal bout to finish with silver. The bronze medals in that weight class went to Argentina’s Ivo Dargoltz and the Philippines’ Chino Sy.
In the +100 kilogram category, José Nova matched his teammate’s podium finish. Nova reached the final before falling to Cuba’s Andy Granda, who claimed the gold. American competitor Andrés Williams rounded out the podium with a bronze.
Heavyweight and Middleweight Bronze Bouts
Moira Morillo fought through the +78 kilogram bracket, advancing to the semifinal stage. A loss to Venezuela’s Karen León moved Morillo into the bronze-medal position. León went on to secure the gold by defeating Cuba’s Dayanara Curbelo Travieso in the final.
A similar path played out in the -78 kilogram division for Eiraima Silvestre. Silvestre dropped her semifinal matchup against Venezuela’s Elvismar Rodríguez. Rodríguez ultimately took home the gold medal after overcoming Cuba’s Lianet Cordona in the final.
Top-Ten National Finish and Support Structure
Beyond the four individual podium finishes, the national judo delegation secured a seventh-place overall finish in the team standings. Coral Velásquez added a fifth-place finish in the -52 kilogram division, while Clara Barinas matched that result in the -63 kilogram category.
The delegation’s campaign in Florida was managed by coach Wander Mateo alongside referee Rolando Robles. Financial and logistical backing for the trip came via the Grupo Creando Sueños Olímpicos (Creso) and the Ministry of Sports, with live event coverage broadcast by Colimdo TV.
| Athlete | Weight Class | Medal / Result | Gold Medalist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Florentino | -100 kg | Silver | Ivan Silva (Cuba) |
| Jose Nova | +100 kg | Silver | Andy Granda (Cuba) |
| Moira Morillo | +78 kg | Bronze | Karen León (Venezuela) |
| Eiraima Silvestre | -78 kg | Bronze | Elvismar Rodríguez (Venezuela) |
