With music, color, and an atmosphere steeped in Dominican identity, they concluded this Sunday in Upper Manhattan the Juan Pablo Duarte Games NY 2025, which over 15 days brought together more than 2,300 athletes from the Dominican diaspora in the United States.
The Plaza Quisqueya, in Inwood, became the setting for the closing ceremony, where participating athletes paraded and the final medals were awarded. The sports celebration was accompanied by artistic performances, including those of Fernando Villalona and El Rubio del Acordeón, which got thousands of attendees dancing.
The ceremony included the extinguishing of the Olympic flame and the official handover of the sports movement flag to the delegation of Manhattan, which will host the next edition in 2026.
The event was headed by the Dominican Republic’s Minister of Sports, Kelvin Cruz, and officials of the Dominican Sports Union NY, led by Evarito Madrigal.
Final results
The scoreboard closed with Manhattan as the big winner, accumulating 214 points (139 in the male division and 75 in the female). Very close behind was The Bronx, with 206 points (134 for men and 72 for women), followed by New Jersey, which surprised with 188 points (110 and 78, respectively).
In fourth place finished Queens, with 81 points, and in fifth Brooklyn, with 78.
A historic event for the diaspora
The Juan Pablo Duarte Games became the largest sports gathering organized by Dominicans abroad, featuring 21 disciplines in competition. In addition to traditional sports such as baseball, basketball, softball, soccer and volleyball, the edition included for the first time lesser‑known disciplines within the community, such as fubkey, which sparked the curiosity of many attendees.
During the closing, the organizers highlighted the massive public attendance and the event’s impact on promoting culture and sport among Dominicans living in the Big Apple and neighboring states.
