El Club de Judo de Bameso opened the 49th International Naco Judo Cup by taking an early lead with two gold medals and one bronze at the Karate Pavilion of the Olympic Center in Santo Domingo, Momento Deportivo RD reported.
Bameso Takes the Early Medal Lead
More than 525 athletes representing six countries, 22 provincial associations, and eight clubs from the National District have gathered for the annual tournament. Following Bameso at the top of the standings, Budokan Judo School secured second place with two gold medals during the opening day of competition across the Benjamín and Pre-Infantil categories. Judo San Juan finished in third place with one gold and one silver medal, while the Kodokan Judo of Cape Coral claimed fourth place with a single gold medal.
Individual bouts on the opening day highlighted several standout performances across the younger age brackets. In the pre-infantil division, Keither Puello of Club Judo Bameso defeated Dylan Paredes of the Duarte Province in the final match. Samuel Santana of Bameso and Joshua Monteagudo of the La Romana Association earned the division’s bronze medals. In the 26-kilogram category, Jayco García of Bameso captured gold by overcoming Azdriel Soriano of Judo San Juan, while Luis Arias of La Romana took bronze.
Additional gold medalists on the opening day included Jeurys Hernández of the Duarte Province, who secured victory against Braylin García of San Juan in the 66-kilogram category. Ethan Liriano of the hosting Club Deportivo Naco claimed the bronze in that weight class. The competition continues with further bouts as the multi-day event proceeds.
Anniversary Celebrations and Official Recognitions
The tournament opened with the national anthem and a parade of participating delegations. Vladimir Aracena, president of the Naco Judo Parents Association, thanked the national and international competitors while noting that the 49th edition coincides with the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Naco Judo School. Heidy Feliz, vice president of the Naco Board of Directors representing club president Mario Alvarez Soto, welcomed the visiting teams and confirmed the club’s continued backing of combat sports.
Dominican Judo Federation President Gilberto García praised the organizing committee, provincial associations, and the district schools for maintaining one of the country’s primary judo traditions. A central moment of the opening ceremony featured a tribute to sports immortal and sensei Juan Chalas, the figure to whom the 2026 international cup is dedicated. Chalas was recognized by the board of directors, the judo school, and the parents’ association, alongside federation officials including Gilberto García and National District association president Sócrates Puello.
The tournament organizers have provided digital access for international and domestic supporters, broadcasting the matches live through the official YouTube channel of the Club Deportivo Naco to accommodate thousands of viewers abroad.
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