Athletics
Cuba's Richer Pérez won the 2nd place in the International Marathon of Panama, escorting the Panamanian Jorge Castelblanco, who won in 2 hours, 32 min. and 58 sec. It's been nearly 20 years since a Panamanian has won this contest, while among women the victory went to Panamanian Williana Rosas with 03:11.47 hours.

The Cuban and Pan-American champion Richard Perez, recorded 2:38:47 hours, followed by Colombian Luis Cardona with 2:39:22 in an event attended by 2,000 athletes from 37 countries.

And another note on Athletics said that in an interview with world champion and Olympic silver winner in pole vault, Cuba' Yarisley Silva, during the VI Convention of Physical Activity and Sports AFIDE-2015, recently concluded at the Havana's Convention Center attended by over 750 delegates from 40 countries, and speaking of her excellent Season and plans for 2016, the Cuban star said:

Although I started with low marks because of psychological problems, I feel very happy thanks to the support of my people, family and technical group who helped to achieve the Pan-American gold with new record and then the gold lid... and I'm also happy because despite all the difficulties we deal with we have achieved our results and made known to the world that Cuba still has leading pole vaulters despite the perennial situation and there are very good athletes; thus, you can achieve everything you want, which is an example for many countries and children, plus I feel extremely happy for being selected the Best Athlete of the Year. Now, I an training a lot for indoors competitions next March where I hope to keep my crown.

Football
The Panamanian Football Federation (FEPAFUT) announced a list of 35 eligible players for the playoff game to be played by the national team on January 8th facing the Cuban staff at the Rommel Fernandez Stadium in Panama City looking for a berth to the Centennial American Cup.

The winner of this event and the winner of that clash between Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti will join the 10 teams in the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) and the 4 of the North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) already classified to dispute the tournament that aims to celebrate the 100 years of CONMEBOL.

And in more football news, from Managua, Nicaragua, it was announced that 25 players of the national team of Nicaragua begins today another training base to have friendly matches against the Berna team in the Swiss league, and the Cuban staff.

On the topic, a press release of the local Federation of that discipline states that the Nicaraguan team was presented this morning at the Negro Julio School of Talents, in Diriamba, in the southern department of Carazo.

Curiosity
The Austrian cyclist Jacob Zurl wants to have a non-stop tour throughout Cuba from December 15th-17th , said Ottawa's Canadian Cycling magazine.

Zurl, a specialist in resistance, who shows some other difficult challenges in his record, will try to become the 1st rider to continuously devour the 1400 km. from one end of Cuba to the other.

“...No one has so far lived such a challenge facing the high Cuban heat and humidity. I think my love for cycling resistance and unexplored routes, plus the support of my team and my family, will help me meet it,” he said.

Before leaving, the rider will spend a week getting accustomed to the difficult and potentially oppressive Caribbean climate, while tasting the local food options to see which ones would be most useful for his trip.

In fact, for several weeks Zurl has been practicing for tolerance to high temperatures and humidity he'll deal with across Cuba.

In 2014, Zurl made record time across the Himalayas, a distance of over 530 km., in 38 h. 40 min., plus a Guinness record for the Most Vertical Meters pedaled in 48 hours when he covered 28,789 meters of Austrian territory from April 20th-22nd in 2012.

Social Impact of Sports Expatriation Highlighted in Event in Cuba

A total of 683 Brazilian soccer players returned to their homeland, out of 1,029, who signed contracts with foreign clubs in the last 2 years, almost 66% of the total.

The data was supplied by outstanding Brazilian psychologist Regina Brandao, from the San Judas Tadeus University, in a paper offered at the 6th International Convention for Physical Activity and Sports (AFIDE), held at the Havana Convention Center, in the Cuban capital, which concluded last Thursday.

The phenomenon of pro athletes signed by foreign clubs has a great social impact, because it demands a high multi-dimensional adaptation to go over the barriers of each situation, said the famous university professor and psychologist.

The paper presented by the Brazilian professor, is the result of an investigation carried out on 23 members of the Brazilian national soccer team, and shows how what it seems to be as "a perfect world" is just "a complex reality, sometimes frustrating."

The final considerations of her paper propose an inter-cultural and didactic training with the soccer player on general and specific culture of the country where he will play; instruction on the language, a strong social support of the host team, as well as to show them the basic daily aspects, where to go shopping, places to consume food, places to walk with the family, among others.

Brandao concluded: "The more distant, in belief terms, values and language... the more and bigger negative implications we will have to face."