Baseball Cuba-US

Visiting Penn State University head coach and manager, Rob Cooper, thanked Cuban authorities for inviting the school's baseball team and giving them the opportunity to play with the island's teams. During a speech at the 2nd International Symposium on Applied Baseball Sciences, as part of 6th International Convention of Physical Activity and Sports (Afide) in Havana, Cooper said he was excited by the invitation of the Center for Marti Studies and by participating in the event.

Rob Cooper, manager of the Nittany Lions, explained the ways and peculiarities of recruitment of athletes to join the college team of 35 players. He said: "Our coaches go to different high school tournaments and establish contacts with quality players. We look for good athletes, but at the same time, those who are also good people."

The U.S. coach recalled they are very strict on training, since they only have 20 hours of training during the week, so as not to affect their studies.

Team coach Jamie Burleson explained the work program and highlighted the quality of its facilities, created just two years ago.

In turn, the college sports financial director Rick Kaluza, stressed they have an annual budget of $120 million for the 31 sports they practice. "On campus, we have 22 sports facilities, and over 800 students are linked to our teams,” said Kaluza.

Representatives from Pennsylvania State University have already played two friendly matches, of a planned program of four, with teams of the Cuban Baseball Series.

Weightlifting Houston 2015

Cuban Yoelmis Hernández came in 17th place in the standings among the 37 contestants of the 85kg division participating in the Houston IWF World Weightlifting Championship 2015.

The Cuban athlete was not in good shape this time and could only lift 153kg in snatch and 187kg in clean and jerk for a discrete total of 340kg. Hernandéz failed twice with 158kg in snatch ending 21 while he came 15 in the clean and jerk modality after failing to lift 190kg and rejecting the third attempt.

The world Cup is the last event used in deciding how many competitors each country can send to the Olympics.

Athletics Hall of Fame

Nine Cubans, including seven athletes and two trainers will join the Athletics Hall of Fame in Central America and the Caribbean. The Confederation in the region is honoring the 110th anniversary of track and field with this event on Sunday, December 6th.

The list is headed by long jumper Iván Pedroso, with a gold Olympic medal and nine gold world medals. Pedroso is followed by two prestigious hurdler experts Alejandro Casañas and Anier García. The group has just a woman, the outstanding javelin thrower Olisdeilys Menéndez.

The track and field had no Hall of Fame previously up to the initiative of Puerto Rican Víctor López as leader of the regional confederation. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) established a Hall of Fame at a world level in 2012, at the 100th athletics anniversary, including Cuban sprinter Alberto Juantorena.

Since the first ceremony in Havana in 2003 up to sixth in 2013, 38 Cubans have joined the Hall of Fame. Now the list will have 47 -- 37 athletes and 10 coaches and trainers.

Ecuadoran Soccer on Strike

The Association of Soccer Players of Ecuador (AFE) announced on Thursday that it would begin a strike in support of its members who have not received remuneration for over four months.

According to AFE Vice-President Edwin Tenorio, the measure is aimed at “paralyzing all activities related to this game in the country.”

A combined total of $20 million in wages is owed to players and staff from eighteen different clubs plying their trade in Serie A and Serie B, the country’s top two leagues.

AFE President Ivan Hurtado said “Abuses and lies” will not be tolerated, the former defender added, justifying the strike on the grounds that “no dialogue” is currently “possible.”

The news comes as the Ecuadorian national team continues to surprise pundits and fans alike as it sits above its more illustrious rivals Argentina and Brazil at the top of the region’s 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

The national team has wracked up four wins in four, picking up a perfect 12 points, three more than second place Uruguay and five more than Brazil which is currently in third place.