Lazaro Martinez
Havana, July 8 (RHC) - With seven gold medals in athletics, canoeing, cycling, handball and karate, Cuba had a good day at the Centrocaribes, which ends this Saturday in San Salvador and in the Santo Domingo venue.
Three gold medals in athletics, with Lázaro Martínez, Silinda Morales and the 4x400 relay, sealed the island's triumph in that sport with 28 medals (9-11-8).
Other medal winners were Baurelis Torres (karate), Arlenis Sierra (cycling), the C2 500 duo in canoeing and the men's handball team.
Indoor world champion Martínez jumped 17.51m in the triple jump, to improve the Games record, held since 2006 by Cuban Yoandrys Betanzos (17.46). In a specialty in which the island is a world historical power, he was escorted on the podium by Cristian Nápoles (17.11).
Cuba also continued to add to its brilliant history in the discus (women), with the triumph of young Silinda Morales (61.95m).
The other gold medal in athletics came in the legs of the world champions in the women's 4x400 relay, victorious with a record time (3.26.08 minutes), in a thrilling final against the Dominican Republic, whose last leg was covered by one of the stars of the event, Olympic and world runner-up Marileidy Paulino.
Other medalists in the athletics farewell were the pole vaulter Aslin Quiala (silver, 4.30), and Marys Patterson and Dacsy Brisón (bronze in high jump, 1.81).
With Saturday's three gold medals, Cuba reached nine and regained the reign in athletics, lost in Barranquilla-2018 to Colombia. It was escorted by Mexico (8 golds), Puerto Rico and Venezuela (6) and Dominican Republic (5).
In cycling, Arlenis Sierra established herself as one of the stars of the sport in regional events and made history by becoming the first cyclist to win both road races in the same event.
On Friday she won the 109 km road race, two days after having dominated the individual time trial.
Now, adding the events of Veracruz-2014 and Barranquilla-2018, the Movistar of Spain figure accumulates 6 gold medals, one silver and two bronze medals, in road and track.
The two-seater canoe of Tabiani Diéguez and Olympian José Ramón Pelier confirmed the predictions in the C2 500 m canoeing and won the gold medal, while karateka Baurelis Torres did the same in the 55 kg in the Santo Domingo venue.
The last gold medal of the day was won by the handball boys, with a close 30-29 victory in the final against the Dominican Republic, in a game in which Omar Toledano shone with 9 goals.
There were notable performances in skating, with Adriana Cantillo winning silver in the 100 meters, improving her record twice, and Taimara Oropesa in badminton, with the silver medal in the women's singles.
In the absence of the last day of competitions, this Saturday, Cuba has 194 medals (74-58-62) in third place by nations. There will be activities in four disciplines - canoeing, BMX, karate and volleyball (fem), all with Cuban presence.
As expected, Mexico will finish as the great dominator - it dawns this Saturday with 141 golds -, escorted by Colombia (86).
