Two hundred fifteen athletes from 26 countries arrived in Montreal for the 2026 Pan American Open, where eight Dominican judokas began competing for ranking points for upcoming continental and global games, El Nuevo Diario reported.
The continental tour stop at the Montreal venue serves as a key qualifier on the road to major international championships. According to El Nuevo Diario, the tournament awards ranking points that feed directly into qualification processes for the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Colimdo noted that the international field brings together slightly over 200 competitors from various nations across the Americas and beyond.
Daily action follows a strict schedule at the tournament site. Preliminary rounds start at 9:00 a.m. local time, while the final blocks get underway at 2:00 p.m., as detailed by El Nuevo Diario.
The Dominican Judo Federation delegation features eight competitors spread across men’s and women’s weight classes. El Nuevo Diario and Colimdo both outlined the roster: Diego García competes in the -60 kilogram division, Heriberto De Haza enters the -66 kilogram category, and Michael Lois fights at -63 kilograms.
On the women’s side, the lineup includes Estefanía Soriano at -48 kilograms, Samantha Josefa and Coral Velásquez both at -52 kilograms, Esmeralda Damiano at -70 kilograms, and Moira Morillo in the +70 kilogram heavyweight class. Coach Juan Carlos Jacinto travels with the team as the sole listed national representative.
El Nuevo Diario reported that the delegation made the trip with backing from the Creando Sueños Olímpicos (CRESO) group and the Ministry of Sports. Colimdo similarly confirmed that the country’s contingent secured support through Creso and state sports authorities to compete in the Canadian tournament.
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