María García, the first Dominican judoka to win a world medal and a Pan American Games silver medalist, has been officially selected for induction into the Pabellón de la Fama del Deporte Dominicano, according to an announcement by permanent committee president Dionisio Guzmán.
García will join the Class of 2026 during the organization’s special ceremonial event on the morning of Sunday, November 15, at the auditorium of the Centro Olímpico Juan Pablo Duarte in Santo Domingo. The milestone adds another historic chapter to a 15-year career representing the Dominican national team across multiple international stages.
A Historic Career on the Tatami
During her competitive peak, García established several benchmark achievements for Dominican judo. According to sports records, she claimed a bronze medal at the 2006 Youth World Championships held in Santo Domingo and earned a silver medal in the -52 kilogram division at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Her continental resume also features bronze medals at the Pan American Games in Rio 2007 and Toronto 2015, alongside five total medals in Pan American Championships, including silver finishes in Caguas 2005 and Montreal 2007.
Over a span of 15 years with the national selection, García collected six medals in World Cups—highlighted by a gold in Venezuela, silvers in Germany, Belgium, and the United States, and a bronze in Austria. She also secured seven medals in Central American and Caribbean competitions, including a team gold medal at the 2006 Games in Cartagena de Indias, plus podium finishes in Mayagüez 2010 and Veracruz 2015.
Furthermore, García became the first Dominican judoka to compete in two Olympic Games, reaching the quarterfinals at Beijing 2008 and advancing to the second round at London 2012.
Class of 2026 Inductees
García is part of a broad roster of athletes, teams, and contributors entering the Dominican Sports Hall of Fame for 2026. In individual sports, she will be inducted alongside weightlifter Yuderqui Contreras and track and field athlete Mariano Reyes.
The team-sport category features former baseball players Darío Veras, Alex Rodríguez, Rafael Soriano, Ricardo Joseph, and amateur baseball player Johnny Olivo, alongside basketball representative Winston Royal and softbol player Euclides Solano. The Hall of Fame also recognized several key builders and promoters, including Víctor Pascual, Andrés Vander Horst, Héctor Báez, Félix “Gallego” Ogando, José Ramón “Cuqui” Reyes, Agustín Brea, Julio Cross, and Domingo Saint Hilaire.
Expanding Judo’s Legacy
With her upcoming induction in November, García becomes the third judoka from La Vega—and the eighth athlete overall from her discipline—to enter the Hall of Fame. She joins Radhamés Lora Salcedo, the first judo immortal inducted in 1992, and Andrea Hernández, who entered in 2014. Other judo athletes enshrined in the Pabellón include Juan Chalas (2003), Dulce María Piña (2012), José Vicbart Geraldino (2018), Eleocadia Vargas (2022), and Juan Carlos Jacinto (2025).
The official induction ceremony will take place on November 15, 2026, honoring the latest class of Dominican sports figures.
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