Since 1964, athletes from the Caribbean have taken part in the Summer Olympics. Young athletes have been sent to the two youth summer games held so far. The Dominican Republic has not yet participated in the winter games.
The Dominican Republic's first Olympic team in 1964 consisted of a track and field athlete, sprinter Alberto Torres, who became the state's first Olympian on October 14, 1964. In 1968 there were participants in boxing, shooting, weightlifting and wrestling, and in 1972 in judo. On July 24, 1976 in Montreal, the sprinter Divina Estrella became the first woman of the Dominican Republic at the Olympic Games.
In 1980 in Moscow, Dominican divers took part for the first time, in 1984 in Los Angeles a sailor and two synchronized swimmers. Los Angeles saw the country's first medal win. Boxer Pedro Nolasco won bronze in the bantamweight division. In 1988 in Seoul, the country took part in the table tennis tournament for the first time, in 1992 in the baseball tournament and in 1996 in the tennis tournament.
The Dominican Republic took part in taekwondo and volleyball in 2004. In Athens, Félix Sánchez became the country's first Olympic champion in the 400-meter hurdles. In 2008 in Beijing, boxer Félix Díaz won his second Olympic victory in the light welterweight division. In Taekwondo, Yulis Mercedes won silver in the flyweight division. The weightlifter Yuderqui Contreras reached fifth place in the featherweight category .
In London 2012, Félix Sánchez became Olympic champion in the 400 meter hurdles for the second time after 2004. Luguelín Santos won silver over 400 meters. The women's volleyball team reached the quarter-finals after two wins in five preliminary rounds. Here they lost 3-0 to the USA. In London, a gymnast from the country took part for the first time. Yamilet Peña reached the device finals in the horse vault and was sixth.
In Rio de Janeiro 2016, a cyclist and a rider competed for the first time. Luisito Pié won the bronze medal in flyweight in Taekwondo. In weightlifting, Yuderqui Contreras was sixth in flyweight, Beatriz Pirón fourth in bantamweight and Luis García eighth in bantamweight.
Youth games
The Dominican Republic took part in both of the youth summer games held so far. In 2010, in Singapore, young people were sent to the sports of athletics, sailing, weightlifting and wrestling. Luguelín Santos won the 400 meter competition. Fany Chalas won bronze over 100 meters. Santos also won the mixed 400-meter relay with four athletes from four countries. However, this medal will be credited to the mixed teams in the medal table. Weightlifter Yineisy Reyes was fourth in the 53kg class.
In 2014 in Nanjing, ten young people took part in athletics, boxing, horse riding, judo, sailing, swimming, weight lifting and wrestling. The boxer Juan Solano won the silver medal in the 69 kg class. The rider María Brugal won bronze in the mixed team in show jumping. This medal will be credited to the mixed teams in the medal table. The athlete Juan Núñez de la Rosa became sexhtger over 400 meter hurdles.