Photo: Prensa Latina

Havana, July 9 (RHC)-- Cubans wake up today with the satisfaction of knowing that their country's athletes participating in the Central American and Caribbean Games in this capital, sub venue of the competition in San Salvador, culminated their presentation with 26 medals.

They were two weeks of intense days -from June 23 to the eve- in which there was no lack of smiles in the face of very pleasant surprises, hugs, support from the stands, although there were also disappointments, although fortunately few.

Those who appreciated the athletes' decision to fight on the tatami, on the courts and in other scenarios against opponents with international recognition and excellent preparation, rewarded the collective effort of the boys, both those who climbed to the top of the podium, as well as those who did not make it.

There were 77 Cubans who participated in six sports in the Games, after winning the events in the qualifying tournaments, and they did so in the midst of economic limitations intensified by the U.S. blockade against Cuba, which affects all sectors, including sports.

Of the disciplines held in Santo Domingo, canoeing was the one that contributed the most medals to the medal count, in which Cuba came in third place, surpassed by Mexico and Colombia, as had been predicted by sports authorities. This was not a surprise.

Thus, Cuba's José Pelier won the first gold medal in the C1,000-meter event, while the second title was won by Daylen Rodríguez and Yurieni Guerra in the K2,500-meter event.

Robert Benítez and Yan Samé won first place in the men's 500-meter double kayak, and in the men's 500-meter double canoe, José Pelier and Tabiany Diéguez were the winners.

In the men's 500-meter kayak final, Robert Benítez, Yan Samé, Reyler Paterson and Julio Hidalgo deserved the second place metal, surpassed by the Dominican Republic.

In the individual 1,000-meter kayak final, Robert Benitez won silver, behind Colombia's Leocadio Pintó; Yurieni Guerra won silver in the 200-meter individual final.

In the volleyball polygon of the Juan Pablo Duarte sports complex, great emotions were experienced with the taekwondo competitions.

The bronze medalist at the Pan American Games in Lima 2019, Arlettys Acosta (67 kilograms), and two-time world champion Rafael Alba won gold.

Tania Delgado and Dario Navarro won silver in the mixed pairs freestyle and also third place shared with the Dominican Republic in poomsae; Tamara Robles won bronze in the 57 kilograms division.

In the team competition, the Cuban team made up of Zalaris Cortes, Elianet Crespo, Marlyn Pérez and Tamara Robles took bronze after losing to Mexico, the new Central American champion.

In men's team taekwondo, Kelvin Calderon, Guillermo Perez, Luis Cortina and Akely Mato finished in third place after losing in the semifinals to the Colombian team.

Cuba also won the silver medal in the men's modern pentathlon relay, which came from Lester Ders and Marcos Rojas, while in the women's relay, Delmis Pérez and Diana Leyva won third place.

Similarly, the gold medalist in the men's relay in Barranquilla 2018, Lester Ders, finished third in the individual final of that discipline after putting up a fight against more experienced rivals, mainly from Mexico and Guatemala.

Cubans Maikel Moyet and Yandi Espinosa won two bronzes in the team competition and in the men's double.