Cuban parajudokas Sheyla Hernández and Ariagna Hechavarría delivered standout performances at the IBSA World Judo Championships in Georgia, capturing gold and bronze medals respectively. Hernández secured her world title in the over-70 kilogram J2 category by defeating Italy’s Carolina Costa, according to reports published by JIT.
Golden Redemption for Sheyla Hernández
The final match served as a direct rematch of the 2022 World Championships in Baku, where Hernández took home the silver medal after being immobilized by Costa. This time in Georgia, the judoka from the eastern Cuban province of Holguín claimed the top step of the podium in a hard-fought contest.
Hernández initially scored a yuko to take the lead, though her Italian opponent answered quickly to level the score. Resetting her strategy, Hernández executed a waza-ari before pinning Costa to the tatami for an ippon victory, clinching her first-ever world championship gold.
This achievement marks Hernández’s third career medal at the world level, following a bronze finish at the 2025 championships in Astana. It adds to her silver medal won at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, where she also competed against top international opponents.
During the tournament, Hernández also earned a notable win by overcoming Brazil’s Rebeca de Souza Silva, reversing the outcome of their previous meeting in the Paris Paralympic final.
Ariagna Hechavarría Secures Bronze
In the over-70 kg J1 division, teammate Ariagna Hechavarría earned a bronze medal, matching her podium finish from the previous year’s event in Astana. Hechavarría secured her medal match by defeating Indonesia’s Siyamsih Siyamsih by ippon following an immobilization hold, maintaining control after building a waza-ari advantage on the scoreboard.
Outlook Toward Los Ángeles 2028
Both athletes have strengthened their competitive standing and established themselves as early contenders for the upcoming Los Ángeles 2028 Paralympic Games. Coach Ivis Dueñas expressed satisfaction with the team’s output in Georgia, noting that the successes stem from the discipline, daily effort, sacrifice, and consistency shown by both competitors.
The results underscore the ongoing competitive strength of Cuba’s parajudo program on the international stage as the sport looks ahead to the next Paralympic cycle.
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