Hugo Franco lives one of the best moments of his career, or the best, depending on how it is valued. This weekend he won the silver medal in the Pan-American qualifier in Santiago de Chile, which awarded places for the continental multi-sport games that will take place in that same city next year.
In the individual recurve bow competition, the native of Pinar del Río only lost in the final to the Brazilian Marcus D’Almeida by a score of 7-3, thus finishing second and hanging the only medal for the Island in the Chilean city. However, the Greater Antilles also returned home with four valuable tickets for the Pan American Games.
Although the main purpose was to directly include both teams (male and female) in the regional competition, this was impossible and they will have to look for their ticket in another qualifier next year. However, on an individual level the news is more encouraging and in addition to Franco, Elizabeth Rodríguez, also a recurve player, will be in Santiago, as well as athletes with disabilities Leidys Posada and Alejandro Hernández.
In this qualifying contest, the Creole casts were made up, in addition to Franco, by Javier Vega and Juan José Santiesteban in the masculine, led by coach Reiter Téllez, while in the feminine, together with Rodríguez, Maydenia Sarduy and Yailín Paredes competed, under the aegis of Vladimir Quintas.
The coach of the archers who obtained spots in the Parapan American Games is the star Juan Carlos Stevens, who after his retirement has remained linked to archery since his coaching capacity.
