Dominica’s outfit rated among 17 best at opening of Rio Olympics

The opening ceremony took place on Friday evening
Dominica’s vest was described as ‘perfect.’ AP Photo/David Goldman

The 2016 Summer Olympics opened with a spectacular parade at Rio’s Maracana stadium in Brazil on Friday evening.

Over 200 nations are participating in the biggest sporting event on the planet and Dominica was in the thick of the action.

The island’s outfit at the opening parade did not escape the eyes of USA Today, which was looking for the best at the event.

As a matter of fact, Dominica’s outfit was rated among the top 17 by the newspaper.

“When you’re trying to stand out among 200+ countries, you can’t be drab. (Looking at you, Germany.) You can’t do the expected or go with boring colors and designs. You need to pay homage to your country while also looking stylish and keeping athletes’ comfort in mind,” the newspaper wrote.

Dominica’s vest was described as “perfect.”

The opening parade was viewed by an estimated three billion people.

Two athletes are representing Dominica at the games. Yordanis Durañona García, a Cuban-born triple jumper, will be competing in the men’s triple jump, while Thea LaFond will compete in the women’s triple jump.

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48 Comments

  1. Not an Olympian?
    August 8, 2016

    Lets face it, this was the only accomplishment not achieved by Francisco Ettienne Telemaque Dods. He was not an Olympian and will never be one. To see that we all watched the same opening ceremony and did not see what he saw. He saw gray while the rest of the world saw mostly green. All FETd has to do is start training the great-grand-children of his so that one of them can accomplish something. Alas he needs some sort of satisfaction in life. It is too late now- he is already DOMINICAN- that cah change! I guess he is immortal because he is not afraid to die a very bitter, jealous, evil, no-good-for-noting old man! Fet what size shoes do you wear, size 11 in youth? Aaalaaaas!

  2. jonathan st jean
    August 8, 2016

    I didn’t realize that there was any medal for outfits.Can we focus on the medals.We need to put the quality of athletes out there who will win medals.That’s what is recorded in the history of these games.Lets stop playing games

  3. Righteous
    August 8, 2016

    For the people on here talking about where are the other athletes, why only two etc. I am with you on the questions mainly to the NOC/DOC, but please educate yourselves on the the qualifying procedures/process before coming in this forum and making these outlandish statement. We all want to see more athletes/teams representing Dominica, but the fact is that as a society we do not put much emphasis on sports and hence that is reflected in our policies and mentalities. It is only when we have events like these that people will talk about, where are the athletes, where are the medals, did we win? Stop the hypocrisy people and wish the athletes representing the country the best. Do not question the athletes representation, but instead seek answers from the Dominica Olympic Committee which is simply content on Dominica just being there so that they(the officials) can travel and have a great time. That is all the people in charge care about. #carefortheathletes.

    #OLD

  4. upward mobility
    August 7, 2016

    Dominicans please grow up and think before u all talk. we were spectacular.

  5. %
    August 7, 2016

    Can anybody tell me where is Luan Gabriel?…She was someone with immense potential, but her name is just not being mentioned in Dominica at all.Has she given up track and field?

    • anti bs
      August 8, 2016

      great question…really hope someone who knows could respond :( last i recall she had the physique , talent and support

  6. anonymous
    August 7, 2016

    Wow. You all sound like trump with your cuban dominican argument. I just saw danell peyva a cuban born american being celebrated for representing the us.. What s wrong with celebrating someone who obviously sacriced and trained so that he could qualify and who happens tobe dominican by marriage? So much for embracing humanity

  7. Dominican
    August 7, 2016

    I thought we are there to win medals, not for a fashion show. …interesting to see a Cuban carrying our flag!
    PS. I understand Baroness Scotland is also in Rio at the Olympics and jumped up wildly with joy when the Dominican duo marched past…apparently she did not have to pay for her ticket and travelled to Rio with her husband business class at the expense of the public purse.See: www. mailonsunday and look for the headline” and the gold for cheek goes to…Baroness brazen”

  8. Big- Bannan
    August 7, 2016

    Awesome

  9. Marvo cor
    August 7, 2016

    My friend and I along with his parents where in the billions viewers glued to the TV. Supposed to see my country represent. :-D

  10. Marvo cor
    August 7, 2016

    My friend I along with his parents where in the billions viewers glued to the TV. Supposed to see my country represent. :-D

  11. Jenn
    August 7, 2016

    This is the problem I don’t get with the Dominica Government. There are Dominican born young people going to school in the US you’d think instead of helping them pay for school and have them represent the country instead no they’d rather pay a foreigner to represent the country. Shivel Luke from the Belles area for example is a perfect example. She played basketball and did track and field in The Virgin Islands at high school and went on to play ball and track and fiekd at college level in South Carolina. Her older sister and cousin also did track and field they were always the top runners. Two other family members Maya Thomas of Dominican decent is also a top baller and Fabien Florant who is currently in the Olympics representing the Netherlands Mr Bruno from the St. Joseph area also . It’s time the country is being represented by its own.

    • August 8, 2016

      You are not to bright

  12. DR Clayton Shillingford
    August 7, 2016

    Good show..Brings international attention and exposure to the country

    • amindom
      August 7, 2016

      He look good. Man from Tonga though…lol

  13. Favoured
    August 7, 2016

    Best wishes and success to the team. Really after sixteen years Dominica can only come up with two athletes? Are we really serious about sport in this country. All the other islands around us continue to produce top quality sports men except Dominica . Apart from being last in economic performance among the OECS and CARICOM we are also last in Sport. In recent time St.Lucia has produced Darren Sammy, Grenada Kiwanie James,, St.Kitts Kim Collins among other. who do we have? The difference is, the other islands have empowered their youth and provided them with the sporting facilities. Everywhere else has a track and field, tennis grounds except Dominica. The Government does not see this as priority rather they see the selling of passports and chasing after the construction of five star hotels as priority.Look around the various villages and towns it is very evident that the youthful are heavily engaged in domino playing, seeking and or drinking. What a pity. The legacy of labour.

    • South City
      August 8, 2016

      The last time I knew that the Hurricane Erika damaged our Multi Purpose sports facility plan.

  14. Sylvester Cadette
    August 6, 2016

    Your Headline needed to have captured that Dominica’s outfit was fourth (4th) out of the top 17. Now highlighting the 4th position – that is more eye-catching and a statement of pride.

    • JP
      August 7, 2016

      They were in random order…..

    • Read thoroughly
      August 7, 2016

      Sylvester, you obviously missed it: the article clearly said the countries were not listed in any specific order. Please apologise to DNO.

    • dee
      August 8, 2016

      Are we going to get a gold medal for 4th place outfit or in top 17 ?
      Talk to me in a language others can understand .
      I mean medal language .
      Dominica’s team of two , one imposter and one supposedly genuine .
      Two medals ?
      You see that is what we Dominicans have been reduced to accept as satisfactory just like the crumbs many of us receive .
      The standard which is forced upon us as acceptable will not empower the next generation of Dominicans.
      Soon from now we will also be told a gold medal for KFC consumption is brilliant for de youth and them health .
      where we going ? Dung Hill.
      Sports Division ?
      Which sport ?
      crab catching nah ?

  15. BEB
    August 6, 2016

    So long we have been hearing of “Olympic 2016” Our youths have been practicing so long, why the officials couldn’t put together a large contingent of athletes for Rio , I would like to know how many officials attended the games?

    • Actually there were one Dominica Athlete; the Cuban does not count, unless he is a naturalized Dominican, born to a Dominica mother or father. We know his father is not Dominican; until we find out his connection to Dominica, he is not counted!

      As far as I am concerned I saw about five or six clowns dressed in the same gray color of shirt the Cuban had on; one woman I think dressed in some foolish bit of green; the joke of it all is the tall long street of misery leading behind the two they say representing Dominica walking pushing out his belly, boy Dominica thing is nothing more than a joke.

      To add insult to injury, was when I heard the narrator after identifying Dominica team, said in a derogatory manner; “they say their island is the nature island of the Caribbean!”

      Boy, Dominica is a mess at home; but the disappoint thing is that we exposed our stupidity, and backwardness to the billions of people all over the world!

      • South City
        August 8, 2016

        Francisco always talking sh

  16. Dominica Massive
    August 6, 2016

    God bless the Commonwealth OF Dominica… Yes it is the Nature Isle of the Caribbean..Special thanks to those who represented DA and to those who made it possible to sponsor them…

  17. August 6, 2016

    Wow!!!!!!awesome! Was so proud to see my flag.

  18. August 6, 2016

    Watching proudly, Dominica on the world stage, I get the feeling that we could do, can do much better than just selling passports

  19. UDOHREADYET
    August 6, 2016

    I saw the opening Ceremony last night…. made me and other viewers very proud to see our flag and people participating!!

  20. TJ
    August 6, 2016

    Congratulations!

  21. “The island’s outfit at the opening parade did not escape the eyes of USA Today,”

    If that’s the case somebody has to be joking, because I watched the whole parade from beginning to the ending, and what I saw, what the lone Dominica girl, and the Cuban was warring did not even come close to what I saw any of the other nations had on.

    In the first place the girl’ costume is of a different color the what the Cuban had on; the entourage mostly men and a woman dragging her feet had different colors, so this thing I am reading is a joke!

    What I would like to know is where in USA Today, that comment, and information is written, because I looked, and did not find any such information. The way the entourage led by that old tall gray head man, the gray cloth they wore, was not attractive nor alarming!

    • Marguerite
      August 7, 2016

      http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/08/17-best-parade-of-nations-outfits-from-the-opening-ceremony

      Wow, unbelievable. One thing you cannot change is the fact that you were born in Dominica. Hate it all you want, but the place of birth on your passport will always say DOMINICA!

    • Too Hard Too Long
      August 8, 2016

      wow! Even this you attacking!!

    • Concern Citizen
      August 8, 2016

      you just a fool, criticizing everything.

  22. Irony
    August 6, 2016

    But wait…..where is Shannie Angol?
    After all, it’s 2016. Omg they making her wait till she is 45 yrs old. Somebody better spin….I mean explain

    • %
      August 7, 2016

      Where is Luan Gabriel…I think she was a participant in the olympics before Rio!!

    • OLI
      August 7, 2016

      did she qualify for Rio?

      • Tjebe fort
        August 8, 2016

        Dud the Dominica Olympic Committee qualify for Rio…?

  23. August 6, 2016

    Congrats to all who made it possible, I will be watching.

  24. August 6, 2016

    I`m Dominican! are you? Let me preface what i`m about to say, cause i call it like i see it, and do not care too Rats what people say. Now it`s all good that our Representatives, take not i say representatives”. small thing, fill in the blanks. Having said that, and base on my own observations, our Athletes looked good and as reported was among the best Dressed, talking about well dressed, can some one educate me on how we`re suppose to wear and carry our “National Wear”? i await some one who is much knowledgeable than i am to correct me. Surfice it to say we love to be recognised and all that, if thats what we are satisfied about. I Rest my Case. But my hope is we win medels in our chosen field. I`m pulling for them as well. but in my opinion we quick to hang on the “Small stuff” and get the recognition to glote about, even as i observed we sometimes get caught up in the moment and loose our steps both literally and figuaratively. i await any kind of response, win loose or Draw.

    • budman
      August 8, 2016

      nobody understood what you wrote above^^^^^

  25. August 6, 2016

    A born Dominican from Mahaut is representing Holland. Fabian Florant . Dude how can u do that u just marry this girl from Holland bout 2 yrs ago. U A SELLOUT BRO …

    • budman
      August 8, 2016

      perhaps Holland is paying for all his training. Perhaps DA couldn’t. perhaps the conditions for paying for his training is that he represents the country. given that the olympic committee mandates a person must be a citizen, should he have “kept it real” and forgone his opportunity to compete despite the fact that he is a Dutch citizen?

  26. T
    August 6, 2016

    ftw.usatoday.com

  27. T
    August 6, 2016

    Actually we placed # 4. Good luck to our athletes as you make us proud by just qualifying….

  28. Great
    August 6, 2016

    Wow!!! I’m impressed

  29. good promises
    August 6, 2016

    D.N.O It wasn’t rated fourth. they said ” IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER” Gosh man. stupez.

  30. prophet bushiri
    August 6, 2016

    in jesus name dominica is going to recieved gold medal .we recieved in the mighty name off jesus

    • budman
      August 8, 2016

      and if we don’t get it, you go blame the mighty name off jesus?

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