Judo and shooting are two of the disciplines with the best results in continental events and, for Santiago-2023, they remain committed to contributing to the medal table.
Rafael Manso, president of the Cuban Judo Federation, explained that 100% of the critical path was met with the support of the organization, the support of the International Judo Federation and that of the Cuba Coopération France Association (CubaCoop). “Since January, our athletes have been in France, training with a view to San Salvador and other tournaments, including the Grand Slam in Paris,” he said.
Cuban judokas recently participated in the Pan American Championships in Calgary, Canada, which served as a model of what could happen in the Chilean capital.
As a forecast for Santiago-2023, they foresee three titles, a silver medal in the team competition, three bronze medals, two fifth places and three seventh places, said the also national commissioner.
The team is made up of 11 athletes, from ten divisions. In the women’s category there are Maylín del Toro (63 kg), Idelannis Gómez (70), Lianet Cardona (-78) and Idalys Ortiz (+78). Among the men are Orlando Polanco (66), Magdiel Estrada (73), Michael Mckenzie (81), Iván Silva (90), Liester Cardona (-100), Omar Cruz and Andy Granda, both in More than 100.
The male cast will leave for a training base in Peru, from October 8 to 18, and on the 23rd they will travel to Chile. Meanwhile, the women’s team, due to Idalys’ status as the delegation’s flag bearer, will be concentrated in Chile, starting on October 16 or 19. The judo competition is scheduled for the 28th to the 31st, Manso announced.
Likewise, he considered that the main rivals for this contest are the judokas from Canada and Brazil, in addition to other world-class individuals.
Regarding the classification of judo for the Olympic Games, he stressed that it is by ranking and by name, not by division, as occurs for the continental event. He added that this tournament will not give points towards the Olympic ranking.
«These are times of positive mind and faith in victory. We know of the difficulties, but we are going to the Pan American Games to fight,” Manso stated.
The Pan American Games shooting will take place between October 21 and 27, and Cuba will attend with 15 athletes, six women and nine men, who will compete in 11 of the 15 events called, except in women’s skeet and pit, as well as pit (M) and mixed skeet, announced Arnaldo Rodríguez García, national commissioner of the discipline.
The roster is made up of Leuris Pupo, Laina Pérez, Jorge Félix Álvarez, Jorge Grau, Dianelys Pérez, Lisbet Hernández, Sheyla González, Alexander Molerio, Rainier Quintanilla, Guillermo Torres, and the Pan American Games debutants Adianez Martínez, Adianet López, Eddy Vázquez, Alejandro Delgado and José González.
The commissioner explained that the predictions for the competition are a gold medal and a bronze medal in the 25-meter rapid-fire pistol, a silver medal in the women’s 25-meter pistol, and two bronze medals in the 10-meter air pistol. M, in the men’s individual competition and in the mixed team competition.
Rodríguez García explained that in the contest 18 Olympic places will be distributed, one in each individual modality (to the champion) and also to second place in skeet, trap, rapid fire pistol (M) and sports pistol (F).
On the continent, the commissioner added, there are 12 athletes qualified for Paris (ten Americans, a Brazilian and the Cuban Leuris Pupo; in the modalities in which Cuba will participate). If any of them win, the ticket to the summer event would go to the next best positioned. Each national Olympic committee can classify two athletes per modality.
The pistol and rifle representatives completed their training base in El Salvador, while those of the skeet, in Panama.
2023-10-06 10:38:38
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