Luis Álvarez wins ninth gold medal for Venezuela at CAC 2026 Games

Published at: 28/07/2026 05:56 PM

The male flag bearer of the national delegation, Luis Álvarez, won the gold medal at +87 kilograms, after beating Dominican Esquivel Gocio in the final taekwondo match of the Santo Domingo Central American and Caribbean Games.

On the way to the title, the champion of the 2025 Bolivarian Games exhibited a high technical and strategic level and won 2-0 (7-0 and 6-0) in the quarterfinals against the Nicaraguan Elías López, in a fight that left the Venezuelan offensive with six kicks to the body of 2 points and the same thanks to a penalty received by his rival.

Later, in the semifinal, Álvarez met Colombian Luis Soto, who he also dominated 2-0 (8-5 and 9-1), but who required greater demands.

In this last confrontation, the base in the national offensive stood out for a four-point swivel kick, in addition to three 2-point kicks to the chest to win 2-0 (6-2 and 7-0) and win the division's gold medal.

Luis Álvarez's participation improves two positions the place he occupied in the previous edition of the Games held in San Salvador, in 2023, when he ranked third, but in the +80 division.

Álvarez won the third gold medal for national taekwondo and the ninth for Venezuela at the CAC Games. In another medal match, luck was not on María González's side after giving up 1-2 (4-4, 1-9 and 5-9) in the bronze fight against Puerto Rican Naishka Román.

Mazo News Team