Pardon the excessive optimism. Nor do I approve of triumphalist phrases when things go “crooked.” However, now, after the blow suffered by Cuban judo in the Budapest World Cup, it is time to approach the situation in a constructive way with the urgent advent of the Tokyo Olympic Games, practically around the corner.
At the beginning, it should be remembered that in the Hungarian contest the Cuban delegation ended without tasting the honeys on the podium, because even its safest bet, Idalys Ortiz, was left out after losing in the bronze medal dispute. And of the rest, little to highlight. The men’s team marked a disastrous step on the tatamis of the László Papp arena, while the women, a little better, also suffered from the same medal drought.
Failure is scary. Judo, although far from its pedigree of yesteryear, continues with a high quota of responsibility within the island’s delegations for multiple events and this is confirmed by its participation in competitions and preparation bases abroad this season. If 2020 was a year almost lost due to confinement and the consequences of the pandemic, 2021 has been very active for the sport of the ippons.
In advance, a medal in Tokyo could be classified as a good result, especially if we take into account the very high level of the divisions in which the best Cuban figures compete, such as Iván Silva, who must arrive in top form, since the organization chart it will bring you very complex battles from the start.
The Idalys case carries an individual analysis. The criticism of Artemiseña for not getting a medal in Hungary, when she had to recover from her debts with training due to Covid-19 and, even more serious, the death of her father, with the logical physical and psychological consequences, are incomprehensible. That this entails.
If for someone the fiasco in Budapest should represent a step forward, it is for the London 2012 Olympic champion, who will know how to get a “slice” of her fight lost against the Brazilian Maria Suelen Altheman and, above all, against Sarah Asahina, figures who They showed him the true level that he will find on the way to the long-awaited throne at the appointment under the five rings.
Of the rest, the physical state shown in the World Cup worries much more and surely the coaches Yordanis Arencibia, from the women’s squad, and Julio Alderete, from the men, will be spending a good part of their time looking for strategies and alternatives to reverse this trend. .
Even, we will have to wait, because the little progress in the organization chart in Budapest could have a negative impact on the race to the Olympic Games, translated into a decline in the world rankings that would leave some out of the Japanese appointment.
However, in sport, as in life, defeats should constitute a turning point, a valid teaching to work towards turning mistakes into strengths. And it is not cheap “teque”, as could be interpreted in good Cuban.
If Cuban judo aspires to wash its image, it has a golden opportunity in the most important tournament. Once there, what happened in Budapest will be an example of what should not be repeated. Then, for better or for worse, it will be time to judge.
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