Cuba wrapped up its campaign at the 47th World Judo Championships with a 4-0 defeat against Turkey in the team tournament on Sunday, October 11, finishing the global competition with just two match wins across 13 total bouts, Bohemia reported.
Defeats in Baku Highlight Deepening Roster and Training Crises
Reporting directly from Baku, journalist Joel García detailed the toll of the struggles faced by the delegation. Preparation for the world championship was severely compromised by daily power blackouts, along with persistent transportation and nutrition shortages back home. Compounding those domestic hurdles, the Cuban squad arrived at the competition venue just 24 hours before the opening bouts began.
Those travel and logistical disruptions preceded a steep decline in international competition experience for the judokas. No country from the Americas managed to break into the podium placings throughout the tournament.
Ivan Silva Emerges as Lone Bright Spot Amid Key Absences
Moving up to the 100 kg division, veteran judoka Iván Silva provided the delegation’s strongest performance of the week. Silva secured two victories before dropping his match to Japan’s Dota Arai, who went on to capture the silver medal. The result mirrors Silva’s silver-medal finish in the 90 kg category at the 2018 World Championships in Baku.
The squad’s depth took a severe hit prior to travel due to high-profile absences. Idalys Ortiz stepped away from international competition following the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in the over-78 kg division. Meanwhile, heavyweight Andy Granda, who claimed the world title in Tashkent in 2022, remained sidelined in recovery from an untimely injury.
Turmoil Following Difficult Olympic Outing
In a sporting landscape where powerhouse programs from Japan, Georgia, France, and South Korea dictate the tactical pace and physical standards, securing podium finishes has grown increasingly out of reach for under-resourced programs.
With national programs falling behind global training standards and missing crucial qualification stops, analysts have likened the current state of Cuban judo to a fighter receiving a standing protection count, leaving open the question of whether the program can recover before the count reaches ten.
