Caribbean, Latin America Medal Count Keeps On Climbing In Rio

Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas dives over the finish line to win the gold medal in the Women’s 400m Final on Day 10 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 15, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)

By NAN Sports Editor

News Americas, RIO, Brazil, Tues. Aug. 16, 2016: The Caribbean and Latin America have started to see their medal count continue a steady tick upwards as the countdown begins to the final week of competition at Rio 2016.

The regions had a combined 29 medals as of day’s end – Monday, August 15th.

Cuba is leading the medal count for the Caribbean region currently with now with seven medals, adding two more to it previous 5, yesterday. Mijain Nunez Lopez won the country’s second gold in the men’s Greco-Roman 130 kg wrestling competition while Lazaro Jorge Alvarez who claimed bronze in the Men’s Light (60kg) boxing match-up.

The other medal winners to date are:

Ismael Borrero Molina who won the first gold for Cuba in the Men’s Greco-Roman 59 kg wrestling match-up;

Lazaro Jorge Alvarez who took the bronze in the Men’s Light (60kg) boxing competition;

Idalys Ortiz who won a silver in the Women +78 kg judo competition;

Erislandy Savón with two bronze medal apiece in the men’s heavy 91 kg boxing face-off and

Joahnys Argilagos with bronze in the Men’s Light Fly (46-49kg) competitions;

Jamaica now has four medals – the second most for the Caribbean. Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest man, and Elaine Thompson, have both mined gold for their nation winning the men’s 100-m and women’s 100-m finals, respectively while former women’s 100-m record holder, Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce, won a bronze. Sherika Jackson last night added a bronze medal to the total with a third place win in the finals of the women’s 400-m.

Bahamas made their debut on the medal table last night to join Grenada and Puerto Rico with one apiece so far. Shaunae Miller dived for the line to win the women’s 400-m last night to beat the US’ Alyson Felix.

Puerto Rico’s Mónica Puig won gold for the US Caribbean territory by beating Petra Kvitová of the Czech Republic in the Women’s singles tennis match-up while Kirani James won silver in the men’s 400-m final in Rio on Sunday night, Aug. 14, 2016.

Latin America Medal Count

Meanwhile, Latin America’s medal count marched forward on Monday to a total of 15 medals.

Brazil leads with eight. The winners are:

Rafaela Silva who won the country’s only gold to date in the Women -57 kg judo competition;

Felipe Almeida Wu, who won silver for the 10m Air Pistol Men shooting contest;

Diego Hypolito, who won silver in the Artistic Gymnastics, Men’s Floor Exercise;

Arthur Zanetti, who took silver in the Artistic Gymnastics, Men’s Rings;

Mayra Aguiar won bronze in the Women -78 kg judo contest while Rafael Silva also took home a bronze in the Men +100 kg judo competition.

Arthur Mariano claimed a bronze in the artistic gymnastics Men’s Floor Exercise and Poliana Okimoto also won a bronze in the Women’s 10km marathon swimming competition.

Colombia has four medals so far. Oscar Albeiro Figueroa Mosquera and Caterine Ibarguen have both claimed gold for their country in the Men’s 62kg weightlifting and the women’s triple jump competitions, respectively. Yuri Alvear and Yurberjen Herney Martinez add to their medal total with a silver apiece in the Women -70 kg judo competition and the Men’s Light Fly (46-49kg) boxing competition, respectively.

Argentina has two medals to date with Paula Pareto winning gold in the Women -48 kg judo match-up and tennis star Juan Martin Del Potro taking a silver in the men’s singles match.

While Venezuela one medal to date was won by Yulimar Royas, who claimed silver in the Women’s Triple Jump.