Photo: Calixto Llanes.

Havana, November 21 (PL) -- Cuba prevented on Monday the sweep of Brazil in the judo tournament of the VII Parapan American Games Santiago 2023, by winning the super heavyweight divisions in both sexes through Sheyla Hernandez and Yordanis Fernandez.

Sheyla defeated all her rivals in the over 70 kilograms (kg) division by ippón, including the three rivals who accompanied her on the podium: Brazilians Meg Rodrigues (silver) and Rebeca de Souza, as well as American Katie Davis, the last two owners of the bronze metals.

While Yordanis (over 90 kg) also destroyed with solid projections the aspirations of two Brazilians: Williams Silva (second place) and Sergio Fernandes, third place, as well as Cristian Alderete from Argentina.

In the other six divisions disputed, the South American giant swept through Rosicleide Silva (48 kg), Lucia da Silva (57 kg) and Brenda Souza (70 kg) among the women, while in the men's division, Thiago Marques (60 kg), Harlley Pereira (73 kg) and Marcelo de Azevedo (90 kg) won the title.

The Brazilian domination was categorical in the men's 60 and 90 kg divisions, in which they won 1-2, and in the other three (28 and +70 kg for women and the men's super heavyweight), two representatives of the South American giant also reached the podium.

Only four other nations besides Brazil and Cuba won medals in the judo tournament of this Parapan American multi-sport event: Argentina, the United States, Mexico and Uruguay, despite the fact that competitors from almost twenty countries took part.

In the women's 57 and 70 kg divisions, only one bronze medal was awarded, as only four athletes competed and the medals were decided in a round-robin competition.