Boxing
Erislandy Savon, Rolando Acebal and Javier Ibáñez were honored with three major awards recently established by the International Boxing Association (AIBA).
Savon, a cruiserweight, was declared Fourth World Series’ best competitor, where he won eight fights, becoming leader of Cuba’s Domadores team and earning international recognition among experts.
Acebal was recognized as best coach after leading Cuba's team to victory, overcoming forecasts thanks to good strategy, focusing on collective work and developing young talent. With 63 wins and 18 losses the Cuban team led their qualifying group and dominated the finals.
Recognition of featherweight Ibanez reflected his success in the World Youth Championship and the Youth Olympic Games.
A statement released by the Boxing Association indicated that the awards will be presented on November 24th, in Jeju , South Korea, in a ceremony at the closing of the women’s world championship.
Swimming
Cuban swimmer Lorenzo Pérez won his second gold in the Mexico Open, ending Thursday Nov. 6 at Carmen Beach resorts.
Reports from Riviera Maya swimming pool complex says Perez won the 100 meters free style S6 category event with a time of 1:10.26 minutes.
The runner up Paralympic champion in London 2012, finished first before Russian Viacheslav Lenskii (1:21.71) and Mexican Raúl Alberto Martínez (1:23.00).
Pérez had won the 400 meter freestyle S6 category (paraplegic) in his opening event during the Mexico Open swimming for the disabled and qualified for Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games.
Pérez is placed in seven of the 10 heats comprising 75 swimmers in categories from S1 to S13. The Cuban swimmer comes seventh in the International Paralympic Committee ranking. The list is led by Australian Mathew Haanappel with 1:08.67.
Prensa Latina Sports Poll
Cuban athletes Mijain Lopez and Idalys Ortiz gained another vote Thursday, and now they are leading Prensa Latina sports poll to select the best athletes of 2014.
Mijain Lopez, who won his 5th world title in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in September, received the vote from Cuban radio station Radio Progreso as Best Male Athlete of the Year. Now the Cuban super heavy wrestler, two-time Olympic Champion, has reached four votes and is leading the poll.
Radio Progreso also gave Idalys Ortiz its vote for Best Female Athlete. Ortiz got her 2nd world title in the 78 kilogram category in the 30th World Judo Championship, and now heads the poll with three votes in favor, together with Colombian female triple jumper Catherine Ibarguen, who was undefeated in 2014 events, after winning the Diamond League, with six wins in six presentations, getting the vote from Cuban local radio station La Voz de la Victoria (The Voice of Victory, Matanzas, Cuba) which voted for Lionel Messi (soccer, Argentina) as Best Male Athlete.
Radio Progreso voted for the Brazilian women's volleyball team, gold medal at the Grand Prix and third place in the world.
While The Voice of Victory selected the Domadores (Wranglers) of Cuba, winners of the World Series of Boxing IV, so both teams came up to three votes.
Among the most prominent athletes of the year, Radio Progreso leaned towards Messi, Venezuelan baseball player Pablo Sandoval, Brazilian pole vaulter Fabiana Murer, Panamanian Alonso Edwards and Ibargüen.
Meanwhile, The Voice of Victory opted for Cuban chess Great Master Leinier Dominguez, Ortiz, Murer, Edwards and Cuban boxer Erislandy Savon.
The 51st Prensa Latina Poll Sports to choose the best athletes in Latin America and the Caribbean will close on December 21 and results will be announced on Monday 22.
The poll is open to all media in the world and the votes will be received via email deportes@prensa-latina.cu.
