Cycling
Cuban cyclist Lisandra Guerra participates in competitions giving points for the Olympic track cycling ranking, while training in Germany for the Pan-American Games in Toronto from July 10th to 26th.
In an exclusive interview with local ACN news agency, the world champion in the women's 500 meter time trial competition in Manchester 2008 said she obtained positive results in recent competitions, with a view to qualification for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro 2016.
My training in Europe will conclude on Saturday and then I will focus on the continental games, the athlete added. She also said that the Cuban cycling team conducts training in Mexico to face in Toronto the strong athletes from Canada and Colombia who dominated the track cycling event in the Veracruz 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games.
Lisandra Guerra, Athlete of the Year (2014) in Matanzas province, tops the list of 37 competitors selected from this western province for the summer event in Toronto, in which Cuba will seek to finish 2nd by countries, as position it has held since Cali 1971.
Chess
Chinese GM Yu Yangyi remained on top of the 50th Capablanca Memorial Chess Tournament after its 7th round, also marked by unexplained loss of Cuban GM Leinier Dominguez.
Yu drew with Ukrainian GM Pavel Eljanov in 69 moves of an English Opening and now owns 5 points, 1 more than Eljanov and Russian GM Dmitry Andreikin; the latter also signed peace with Cuban GM Lazaro Bruzon in 24 moves of a Reti opening.
The unthinkable happened in the game between Cuban Leinier and Russian Nepomniachtchi, since the local apparently did not realize he ran out of time and lost in 61 moves despite having an unmistakable advantage.
Leinier now totals 3 points, thus having very few chances of fighting for a crown he does not win since 2009, However, Bruzon has the same amount while Nepomniachtchi shows 2 points but remains on bottom of standings in the Elite Group.
There were not changes either at the top of the Premier Group, since German GM Vitaly Kunin and Cuban GM Yusnel Bacallao drew and continue one-two thanks to 5 and 4.5 units, in that order.
The most interesting among the 10 players of this group was the win of Polish GM Jan Krzysztof Duda over his compatriot GM Kamil Miton and now appears 3rd with 4 points.
Sports Institute President Reaffirms Confidence in Cuban Boxing
Antonio Becali, President of the National Sports Institute (INDER), reaffirmed his confidence in the performance of Cuban boxing at the Pan-American Games, after receiving the Cuba's Los Domadores team that took part in the finals of the 5th World Series.
What happened is just the loss of a battle, not the war, and we expect medals from each of you in Toronto, where you are called to play an important role, he said.
Becali added that having lost the title does not prevent the fans and the country's leadership to appreciate the level and commitment of those who finished unbeaten the qualifying phase of the tournament.
We thank of our people for its support and for this ceremony, noted double world champion Lazaro Alvarez, unbeaten in 9 bouts and one of the winners for Cuba in the final match, which they lost 6-4 to Kazakhstan's Astana Arlans.
With the participation of 6 teams, the sport field of the "Grandes Alamedas" Elementary School in the province of Caimito, will host today's actions of the 2nd day of the Women's National Football Championship.
After beating Uruguay 1-0 in a tight encounter not without controversy on Wednesday, Chile host cast will know today its rival for the Copa America of Football semifinal, from which will bring up the winner of the quarter-final between Bolivia and Peru.
