Havana, March 22 (JIT) - The double world champion and Olympic bronze medalist in Tokyo 2020, Rafael Alba, leads the Cuban quartet that will compete in the Pan American taekwondo qualifier for the summer event in Paris 2024.

In Santo Domingo, the Dominican capital, will also compete on April 9 and 10 his countrymen Kelvin Calderon (80 kg), Marlyn Perez (49 kg) and the experienced Arlettys de la Caridad Acosta (67 kg).

Alba and Acosta won the Central American and Caribbean Games of San Salvador 2023. The native of Santiago de Cuba, who did not attend the Pan American Games of Santiago 2023, has been preparing in the last days in Mexican territory.

In the upcoming continental qualifier, 16 quotas will be awarded, eight per gender. Before that, there will be a camp with the taekwondocas qualified for the Paris 2024 event.

Once the qualifying event is over, the Cubans will compete in an open tournament. Both events will be held at the Santo Domingo Volleyball Palace, which in 2023 served as the venue for the Pan American tournaments for cadets and juniors, and for San Salvador 2023, as a sub-venue.

A total of 128 taekwondocas will be present in Paris 2024: 64 men and 64 women. These figures are identical to those of the previous Olympic Games.