Costa Rican taekwondo athlete Neshy Lindo made history once again by winning the gold medal in the -57 kg category at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, becoming a two-time champion by winning back-to-back gold medals at the regional games and defending her title.
To reach the top of the podium, the Costa Rican defeated Cuban athlete Tamara Robles—an Olympian—in an intense final, winning 2-1 in rounds, according to a press release from the National Olympic Committee.
“I’m very happy with the work I’ve done. I also want to thank the Olympic Committee, Icoder, and my coach for pushing me to my limits. The match was very close. From the start, I knew it was going to be a pretty tough fight because of the opponent I was facing—she’s very strong. However, I’ve been training hard, and all the effort I put in throughout the year paid off today with this medal,” Lindo said in a video released by the Olympic Committee.
This is the Costa Rican delegation’s second gold medal; it has also won two silver medals and one bronze.
The bout began with the Cuban representative taking the lead, winning the first round 6–4. However, Lindo adjusted her tactical approach and responded decisively, winning the second round 6–5 to even the score.
With the title on the line, the national team put on its best performance in the third round. It dominated the action with effective attacks and solid match management to win the round 12-5, seal the 2-1 victory, and clinch another regional title.
For taekwondo, this is the team’s fourth medal at the Games and its second gold, following Jaycee Bassett’s first-place finish in sparring on Sunday. In addition, Camilo Cantillano took silver in poomsae (forms), and Laura Sancho won bronze in sparring as well.
