The main figures of Cuban track and field are enrolled at the Cuba-Barrientos Memorial Cup to be held from today until Thursday, May 28th at the Pan-American Stadium, east of the capital.
A few days ago, the director of the National Commissioner of Athletics, Jorge Luis Sanchez, said that this event will validate qualifying marks for the Toronto-2015 Pan-American Games to be held in July and the World Championships in Beijing in August.
In the case of cycling, 6 countries are already registered to discuss their medals at the Reinaldo Paseiro Stadium in Havana, whose edition expects the arrival of cyclists from Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Puerto Rico and Jamaica, in which Cubans will compete in all the disciplines and gender.
The big absentee will be the local star Lisandra Guerra, because she is carrying out a training base in Germany until June 26th where she is also competing because of her good results obtained in speed, 500 time trial and keirin events, the official confirmed to Jit web site.
After completing the preliminary stage of the Pan-American Handball Championship for women that takes a breaks today, the world champion, Brazil, and Cuba, were chosen the best teams for their results and could discuss the crown.
The green and yellow team closed leading in Group A after beating Paraguay 28-22 the day before, to score its 5th victory and finish with 10 points.
Marabana 2015
The traditional Marabana 2015, a marathon event held in Cuba every year, broke its own registration record for the month of May, as reported by its General Director, Carlos Gattorno.
In a report sent to the Cuban press, Gattorno said the 2015 edition has registered 409 foreign runners, ratifying the prestige this competition has already gained.
The executive said that the record corresponds to the first stage of registration, which began in January and ends on July 30th, and compiles the marathoners who have already paid their dorsal numbers.
The 2nd stage will run from August 1st through October 30th and the 3rd takes place November 1st to the 14th, a day before the Marabana Project kicks off.
In the 29 preceding editions of the Project, the number of runners was only registered in November, the week prior to the event, and because of this situation, the official expects that the event can exceed the total of 644 foreign runners on the starting line, a historical record.
In anticipation of foreign participation and interest of national runners, the organizers of the event called for qualifying events, and the first one will be the Race for Mandela, to be held on July 19th and covering 10 kms. (6.2 miles) of the Cuban capital.
NORCECA Volleyball Cup
The Cuban men's team lost 3-0 (25-22, 25-18 and 25-17) against Canada, on the opening day of the North, Central American and Caribbean Volleyball Champions Cup tournament that will conclude next Sunday in the U.S. city of Detroit.
According to the website of the tournament, the top scorer of the match was the Cuban captain Rolando Cepeda with 24 points, all in the attack, followed by Canadian Gavin Schmitt, who totaled 15 points, 12 of these by spikes, and 3 aces in a game where Justin Duff, 12 (7-4-1), Toontje Van Lankvelt, with 11 (7-3-1) and John Gordon, 10 (8-1-1) also stood out by the winners.
The other Cuban leading figures were Felix Chapman 7 (5-1-1), Livan Osoria 6 (4-0-2), Inovel Romero 2 (1-0-1), the setter Ricardo Calvo 2 (0-1-1) and Yosvany Uriarte 1 (0-1-0), with the libero Yonder Garcia.
Rodolfo Sanchez, the Caribbean coach, also used as substitute players to Dariel Albo 3 (2-1-0), who replaced Uriarte in the 3rd set, and Yosvani González.
This contest grants two tickets to the World Cup in Japan, which will be held in September.
Chile Takes Special Security Measures for Americas Cup
Two weeks before the inauguration of the Americas Cup in Chile, local authorities said they are rigorously implementing a security plan to prevent foreigners with a criminal record to arrive in the country.
The undersecretary (deputy minister) of the Interior, Mahmud Aleuy, told reporters that border control will be reinforced by Interpol officers, a collaboration that began in October 2014.
"The government's interest is to create secure conditions so that foreigners and nationals can feel that Chile is prepared to organize a great event in a pleasant and safe environment," the minister noted.
The violence that often breaks out during the national league games forced the government to enact a new Rights and Duties Act for participants and organizers of professional football shows.
According to experts, the act includes new crimes and infractions and establishes tougher sentences to eradicate the impunity allowed by the previous act of 1994.
The Americas Cup will be held from June 11th to July 4th with participation of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, Chile, Jamaica, Mexico, Bolivia, Venezuela, Paraguay, Ecuador and Peru.
