Awards to relevant taekwondo events in an atypical 2021, marked by initiatives to alleviate the difficult situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic, were presented on Friday at the Cuban Taekwondo Gala.

Havana, January 29 (RHC/JIT)-- Awards to relevant taekwondo events in an atypical 2021, marked by initiatives to alleviate the difficult situation created by the covid-19 pandemic, were presented on Friday at the Cuban Taekwondo Gala.

At the High Performance Athletes Training School (Esfaar) Giraldo Córdova Cardín were also honored those who excelled in the four-year period that closed Tokyo 2020.

"Cuban taekwondo warriors have reasons to be proud, for what was done in 2021 to excel internationally and in the country," Ivan Fernandez Quiros, president of the Cuban federation of the sport of bandal, told those present.

The also national commissioner listed the successes achieved, among which Rafael Alba's bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games stands out.

Alba Castillo did not attend the gala because he was in his native Santiago de Cuba for personal reasons.

He also praised the performance of the youngest generation, led by poomseist Dario Navarro Riquelme, the best in his modality in the evaluated periods.

This Saturday the gala will continue with pumse and combat demonstrations at La Mariposa of the Manuel Fajardo University of Physical Culture and Sports Sciences.

THE BEST

Combat athlete: Rafael Yunier Alba Castillo. Best athlete of the Pan American championship, Olympic bronze in Tokyo 2020, third in the world and Olympic rankings.

Poomsae athlete: Dario Enrique Navarro Riquelme, fifth place in the World Challenge Online, eighth in the Asian Open Online ATU 2021.

High performance coach: René García Coffigny, coach of Rafael Yunier Alba Castillo.

National referee. Mileydi Paz Fortún

Most outstanding scientific researcher: Dr. C. Gletechen Yaima Jiménez Fernández.

Most outstanding basic trainer in the Poomsae modality: Rolando Ignacio Fernández, from Cienfuegos, trainer of Darío Enrique Navarro Riquelme, and Nidia Muñoz Alemán, from Havana, trainer of Andrea Sophia Herrera.

Most Outstanding Grassroots Coach, Kyorugui modality: Adrián Limonta Ferrer, male, and Alberto Montoya Valverde, female, both from Santiago de Cuba.

Most outstanding activist: Jorge Enrique Navarro, from Cienfuegos.

Most outstanding provincial methodologist: Jorge Hechavarría Benavides. SCu.

Province with the best results and most Integral: Santiago de Cuba.