Puerto Rican athlete Yariel Soto fell from first to sixth place in the decathlon at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo after a protest led to his disqualification from the 400-meter event. Soto had initially won the 400 meters with a time of 48.00 seconds, putting him in the lead with 4,153 points after the first five events. However, he was later disqualified due to a lane infringement, resulting in the loss of points and a drop to sixth place with 3,244 points.
Soto had been satisfied with his performance, attributing his progress to his move to Portugal, where he trains with a new coach and lives with his wife. He had started the competition strong, tying for first in the 100 meters and winning the long jump. Soto expressed confidence in his abilities, stating that he had finally found his rhythm in the 400 meters.
He plans to approach the second day of the decathlon by executing each event to the best of his ability and trusting in the outcome.