Baseball
The most renowned team of Japanese Professional Baseball, the Yomiuri Giants, officially presented the Cuban baseball player Frederich Cepeda, who will wear the number 23 on his new uniform, said manager Tatsunori Hara.
In the press conference, where he announced his signing for one season with the Yomiuri Giants in a monetary settlement of $1.5 million dollars, the Sancti Spiritus outfielder expressed his willingness to help the Giants in every possible way, and he's proud of being a part of a team with such a history.
Cepeda, member of the Cuban teams in the three editions of the World Baseball Classic, follows the steps of his compatriot Omar Linares, signed a contract with the Chunichi Dragons in the Japanese baseball from 2002 to 2004.
Meanwhile, some Japanese media speculated today with the arrival of another Cuban player in Japanese baseball, the 3rd baseman Yulieski Gourriel, who would sign a contract to join the Yokohama Bay Stars.
Judo
Idalis Ortiz, now leading the world rankings in more than 78 kilograms, leads the 4 Cuban teams to participate at the Judo Grand Prix to be held from June 6th-8th at the capital's Ciudad Deportiva Coliseum.
Rounding out the female group are Yanet Bermoy (52 kilos), Dayaris Mestre (48), Aliuska Ojeda (57), Maricet Espinosa (63), Onix Cortés (70) and Yalennis Castillo (78), with Professor Ronaldo Veitía as head coach.
Meanwhile, Gusmary García (+78), world champion of the Cadet category, appears as the first figure of the 2nd squad, accompanied by Kaliema Antomachín (78), Olga Masferrer (70), Mailyn del Toro (63), Anailis Dorvinig (57), Eme Yoalis Rivas (52) and Celia María Laborde (48).
Parallel, Lisa Vera (48), Yurisleidy Hernández (52), Adilaidis Lemus (57), Lianne Parra (63), Nairelis Fonts (70), Yunisleidy Borrego (78) and Eliani Aguilar (+78), integrate the 3rd selection the Caribbean island, while María Nelis Sayu (48), Greter Romero (52), Yadira Ramos (57), Dalidaivis Rodríguez (63), Maidolis Martínez (70), Odelkis Naples (78) and Luz Divina Vaso (+78) closed the delegation to the contest, which awards points for Rio Olympics 2016, Veitía said.
Cuba, as the host, will also participate with 4 male teams to be announced in the coming days, after finishing the local qualifying trainings of the national team, said prof. Justo Noda, chief male coach.
Marius Vizer, president of the International Judo Federation, reported in his visit to Havana last January that more than 400 athletes are expected at the tournament that will not only be transmitted by television to 135 countries, but it will also reveal the values and the sport achievements of the Caribbean island.
Boxing
Cuba's Los Domadores and Azerbaijan's Baku Fires will clash for the crown of the IV World Series of Boxing on the 6th and 7th of June, presumably in Baku, the capital of the European country.
Alberto Puig, President of the Cuban Boxing Federation said the news was communicated by the competition's authorities.
Both teams belong to Group B qualifying segment, where Cubans dominated 3-2 the pair of bilateral meetings.
Weightlifting
The bronze medalist at London 2012, Iván Cambar, leads the Cuban weightlifting team that will participate in the Pan-American Games which will start next May 25th in Dominican Republic.
Cambar, 1st figure of the island in the 77 kilograms, will be accompanied by the world multi-medalist Hernández (85 kg), Lázaro Maikel Ruiz (56), Ediel Márquez (69 kg), Javier Vanegas (94 kg), Alejandro Cisneros (105 kg) and Alberto Pupo (+105 kg), while the election of Yadier Núñez (85 kg) or Asnier Rodríguez (105) is still pending, Jit sports weekly magazine published.
The competition, to end the coming June 2nd at the capital's José Joaquín Puello Coliseum, will also include the tournament for females, in which the Cubans Odeysis Pelegrín (+75 kilos), Mariela Almaguer (63 kg) and Yarisleydis Muñiz (69 kg) will participate.
The contest will grant berths for the Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz, Mexico, where Cuba plans to attend with full teams.
