Yudelina Mejia

Yudelina Mejía Peguero was born on June 4th, 1997, in the Dominican Republic. She’s known for impressive performances, like winning a silver medal in the 81 kg category at the 2023 Pan American Games and the 2024 Pan American Championships. With a strong start to her career, she hopes to be as successful as her hero, Yuderqui Conteras. The Paris 2024 Olympics will be the first time she’s participated in the Olympic Games. 

Peguero started weightlifting at 16. Her aunt encouraged her to start lifting during a tough time of caring for her grandmother, and she quickly showed her potential.

In 2023, she won a silver medal in the 81 kg category at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, where she lifted a total of 244 kg. She also won a gold medal in the snatch (115 kg) and a silver medal in the clean and jerk (139 kg) at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games. She continued her strong performance into 2024, when she won another silver medal at the Pan American Championships. She’s also ranked 9th at the IWF World Cup in Paris in March 2024. 

Her main inspiration is Yuderqui Conteras, a famous Dominican weightlifter, and she’s determined to either reach or exceed Conteras’s achievements. She is part of the Creating Olympic Dreams (CRESO) program, which supports Dominican athletes who are aiming for Olympic success.