Serguey Rodriguez on the tatami of the 'Paul Chonchon'. Photo: José Tito Meriño
Havana, July 3 (RHC)-- Cuba won the gold medal Sunday in the mixed judo team tournament of the First Caribbean Games in Guadeloupe, defeating Martinique 4-2, at the Paul Chonchon Sports and Cultural Center.
Thus, the six disciples of Ismael Felisola (m) and Ismael Borboña (f) fulfilled their condition of favorites, although with an unexpected final score.
The discussion of the title began with a setback due to the no-show of Cuba's Elidyani Martínez, in the 57 kilograms (kg), injured in the individual competition, in which she finished with the bronze medal.
However, the largest Antillean island started with an advantage of two victories due to the absence of rivals -incomplete selection-, but Kimy Bravo (73 kg) could not repeat the victory achieved in the fight for the individual crown against Martinique's Melvinn Boungo, who tied the scoreboard at two in the Golden Rule.
This situation forced the pupils of Felisola and Borboña to go out to the tatami in search of the two successes that would now guarantee them the top of the podium.
Idelannis Gómez (70 kg) and Thalía Nariño (+78 kg), now in over 70 kg, achieved the gold victories, so there was no need for the presence of Serguey Rodríguez (90 kg) and Omar Cruz (+100 kg), who if necessary would have fought in over 90 kg, because of the divisions called in the mixed team.
For Nariño it was the revenge against Melissa Bellay from Martinique, who surprised her with an Ippon in the individual title fight, but today she defeated her to ensure the 4-2 gold medal for the Cubans.
The bronze medals went to Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic, by disposing 4-1 and 4-0 to Guadeloupe and Haiti, in that order.
With this team result, Cuba dominated judo, with an overall medal tally of five gold, one silver and one bronze.
The individual champions were Idelannis, Bravo, Rodríguez and Cruz, with silver and bronze medals for Thalía and Elidyani, respectively.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
