Manuel Herrera: Boxing Career and Results
Manuel de Jesús Herrera Beltré represented the Dominican Republic in men’s light-flyweight boxing at the Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988 Olympic Games. Known as “El Olímpico,” he also won medals in regional international competition.
Manuel Herrera’s Olympic appearances
Herrera was born in La Romana on 26 December 1964. His first Olympic campaign came at age 19 in Los Angeles, where he competed in the 48 kg division. After a first-round bye, he lost to Puerto Rico’s Rafael Ramos in the round of 16.
Four years later, he returned to the Games in Seoul, again in the light-flyweight category. Olympedia records him in joint ninth place at both tournaments. Those results distinguish his Olympic participation from the medals he earned at other major amateur events.
Regional medals and Dominican recognition
In 1986, Herrera won light-flyweight gold at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santiago de los Caballeros. The Dominican Sports Hall of Fame’s account identifies Rogelio Marrero of Cuba as his opponent in the final, after earlier victories over Marcelino Bolívar and Julio Coronel.
He added bronze at the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis. His international schedule therefore included the Olympics, Pan American Games and Central American and Caribbean Games during the same competitive period.
The Dominican Sports Hall of Fame selected Herrera for induction in 2020, recognizing his national-team career and later professional boxing.
Sources
Sources: Olympedia profile; BoxRec Olympic summary; Dominican Sports Hall of Fame.
Career records and reporting: boxrec.com.
Tags
Boxing, Boxing History
