Porfirio Veras Mercedes (born 15 July 1943) is a Dominican Republic former track and field athlete, baseball player, and sports administrator. He represented the Dominican Republic in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes at several international competitions, including the 1968 Summer Olympics and multiple Central American and Caribbean Games. Veras set a national milestone during the 1968 Olympics when he completed the 100-meter event in 10.5 seconds. He officially retired from competitive track and field in 1974.
In addition to his career as a sprinter, Veras was a multi-sport athlete who played for the Dominican Republic national baseball team. Following his retirement from athletics and graduating with a law degree, he transitioned into sports governance. In 2004, he was appointed as the National Commissioner of Baseball for the Dominican Republic.
Early life and education He was born on 15 July 1943 in Los Pomos, La Vega and completed his primary and secondary education at the Federico García Godoy School in La Vega. Then he attended Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra in Santiago, where he graduated with a law degree.
Career
Athletics Veras began his career in track and field at 23 and excelled in short-distance running, making his international debut at the 1966 Central American and Caribbean Games in Puerto Rico and taking second place in the 100-meter dash at a regional competition in Ponce.
In 1968, Veras competed in the II National Sports Games, where he won gold medals in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes, defeating Alberto Torres , the current champion of that event. In the same year, he competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico. During the games, he finished fifth in the 100-meters heats with a time of 10.51 seconds and running 21.53 in the 200 meters heats, not qualifying. Veras traveled to Panama in 1970 for the XI Central American and Caribbean Games, where he finished fourth in the 100-meter event. In 1971, he suffered a fractured right ankle, which hindered his sprinting. Despite the injury, he participated in the 1974 Central American and Caribbean Games, where he won a silver medal in the 4 x 100-meter relay and ran the 100-meter dash in 10.6 seconds. By 1974, Veras had officially retired from competitive athletics.
Later career Veras was also a member of the Dominican Republic national baseball team and was appointed the country's baseball commissioner in 2004.
International competitions Representing the 1966Central American and Caribbean GamesSan Juan, Puerto Rico12th (h)100 m10.718th (h)200 m22.75th4 × 100 m relay41.01968Olympic GamesMexico City, Mexico32nd (h)100 m10.5138th (h)200 m21.5318th (h)4 × 100 m relay41.41970Central American and Caribbean GamesPanama City, Panama6th4 × 100 m relay41.7UniversiadeTurin, Italy8th (h)100 m10.513th (sf)200 m21.71974Central American and Caribbean GamesSanto Domingo, Dominican Republic4th100 m10.782nd4 × 100 m relay40.35
Personal bests 100 metres – 10.51 (1968) 200 metres – 21.53 (1968)
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