Tokyo reserved Oscar a singular examination in his narrations for Radio Rebelde as an envoy for Cuban Radio. (Photo: Courtesy of the interviewee)
Although he had to do about 12 PCRs and he missed the bustle of the stands, for Oscar Castañeda Rodríguez the Tokyo Olympics constituted another graduation in his career as a sports narrator-commentator.
Previously, he had the great experience of his “international debut” before the microphones at the London 2012 Olympic Games, but Tokyo, with all the peculiarities of the pandemic, reserved a singular examination for him in his narratives for Radio Rebelde as an envoy from Cuban Radio
“The games leave an extraordinary and sensational impression on me, in addition to what it means to be at an event like this, it is a highly developed country; some told me that it lacked spectacularity, but for me they did the right thing, all very well organized, taking into account that they were made in the middle of all this pandemic “
And as for athletes, the training this time was diverse and intense. “In London I only narrated water sports because I was also hired by the OTI. Now I did basketball, volleyball, beach volleyball, handball, baseball, rowing and track. I consider the latter as my greatest experience, I assumed it together with Manuel Alejandro, from Radio Rebelde and in general this sport is never done by a provincial narrator, that responsibility was spectacular and I was particularly moved by the silver medal of Juan Miguel Echevarría because I was impressed that he lost that gold medal after the result of the Greek who equaled the mark of Echevarría and later the Cuban could not complete the last jump ”.
Like the sportsman, Oscar’s preparation was not born in the circumstances of Japan. It started 23 years ago, when Lino Salabarría left the archery trainer attire at EIDE and set out his vocation for the world of sports narration in Radio and Holy Spirit.
“A narrator always has to be prepared, this time I had to do more because I took on various team sports, also for rowing, boating, even to narrate boxing if necessary. Regardless of the preparation that a narrator has before, you have to be involved in the games, at night at any time I would rectify whenever it was my turn to transmit the next day, review the names, the curriculum, who were the main players, about all those who carried the weight in the team, that is, looking for a lot of information ”.
How to keep the emotion when it is narrated in sports where the athletes, not being Cuban, do not run directly through the veins?
Maintaining emotionality is lifting that country, if you narrate Serbia, for example, you enjoy a world-class game and, even if they are not Cubans, you have to highlight the quality of the athletes who are present in each competition, you have to achieve that the public feel that we are bringing you a quality event.
And when the blood runs closer?
Look, I had to narrate the regattas of Milena Venegas, in rowing, I did them complete, they played me with Manuel Alejandro and he was kind enough to tell me: “You narrate, a person from Spiritus for a woman from Spirit”. I put all the excitement on him, although I even gave my predictions of what his results would be like, I wasn’t really for a medal, but I think he competed well. On the other hand, it was planned to narrate the canoeing and I would have liked to do the Serguey regatta, but they sent me to athletics, although I really enjoyed the medal. I also had to narrate the bronze of Yaimé Pérez, whom I did not give the favorite for gold because in reality the North American had the three best marks of the year, but I do believe that he could have achieved silver.
How to find excitement when the audience is missing?
It is always difficult, although we had, saving the distances, the experience of the National Baseball Series that we had to narrate to empty stands. I told my partner that I would have liked to have had the opportunity to cover athletics in a packed stadium where you could see the audience how they enjoyed themselves, how they shouted. Without an audience it is not easy, but you have to impose yourself and maintain your emotionality, sometimes it was supplanted a bit because the coaches were in solidarity and applauded, the ones who prevailed the most were the athletes from the emotional and competitive point of view.
How did the protection go?
They did about 12 PCR in that time, they did us before leaving Cuba, at the airport and they did us every three days, really the Japanese were very rigorous and strict with each of their protocols, that gave you some peace of mind.
I saw you on the networks talking to the Japanese …
Trying … The cell phone translator is worth it, there was no other, because they hardly speak English, and I, who do not speak it very much, I chatter some words, but not even that, they have a concept that, if Japanese is not studied in other countries , why do they have to study English.
Tokyo drew its curtains, but trapped all the emotions in the memory of Oscar, who, already in Cuba, is preparing for his next appointment with the microphones.
“The games left me a great experience, I had the opportunity to get to know the country and also share with Cuban athletes and other nations. And of course, like everyone else, I really enjoyed the performance of the Cubans who I think had a very good performance because of the place they reached and what each sport did ”.
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