Her fourth Olympic medal was a well-deserved and sufficient reason for Cuban judoka Idalis Ortiz to record another great year, with the main stage at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, postponed by the COVID-19 to 2021.

Havana, January 2 (RHC)-- Her fourth Olympic medal was a well-deserved and sufficient reason for Cuban judoka Idalis Ortiz to record another great year, with the main stage at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, postponed by the COVID-19 to 2021.

Ortiz won the silver medal in the over 78 kg category at the Japanese multi-sport event, a result that increased her haul under the five rings to one gold, two silver and one bronze, improving in color to another great of this martial art, Driulis Gonzalez (1-1-2).

At 32 years of age (27-9-1989), she demonstrated her sporting mastery in the Japanese capital, where she only lost in the final to the hostess Akira Sone, who beat her in Golden Rule, when the clock showed 8.52 minutes of combat, four of which were in regulation.

The decision came for a warning (Shido) -false attack- indicated by the judge in charge of justice in the fight.

In spite of the difficulties with the coronavirus for the preparation and participation in previous tournaments, including the world championship in Budapest -June 2021-, the outstanding athlete from the western province of Artemisa knew how to grow with the expected and desired podium on Japanese soil.

The truth is that Ortiz always focused on what she wanted and she achieved it, despite the fifth place in the Hungarian competition.

With three wins by ippon in the preliminaries, the Artemisian fell in the semifinals against the Japanese and later champion, Sarah Asahima (ninth), who won by wazari in Golden Rule, after 7.06 minutes of combat and a draw of two warnings -shidos-.

Then came the fight for the bronze metal, but she was also beaten by Brazilian bronze medalist Maria Suelen Altheman (sixth), who needed the extension time (6.29 min) and leave behind the disadvantage of Shidos (1-2) to win by ippon.

Previously, Ortiz beat Poland's Paula Kulaga, Russia's Anzhela Gasparian and France's Julia Tolofua by ippon, respectively.

But Idalis wants more and, as she has declared, she intends to continue on her way to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the year in which she could repeat the great honor of being selected the best Cuban female athlete, a condition she has just achieved in 2021.

Undoubtedly, a judoka with a brilliant record in world championships (2-2-4), Pan American Games (3-0-0) and Pan American championships (14-0-0).

But judo did not stop in Tokyo, because at the Cali 2021 Junior Pan American Games, she won two gold, two silver and three bronze medals (2-2-3), with only six judoists. In the individual tournament, all of them reached the podium (2-2-2), and in the mixed team event they repeated with the bronze.

The Cuban bronze medalists of the team event were the six medalists of the individual tournament, in which Thalia Nariño (over 78 kg) and Omar Cruz (over 100 kg) won the gold medals, Sergueis Rodríguez (90 kg) and Idelainnis Gómez (70 kg), won the silver medals, and Kimy Bravo (66 kg) and Thailien Castillo (57 kg), the bronze medals. As established, they had to fight in the 57, 70 and over 70 (f); and 73, 90 and over 90 (m) kg.