Although its Olympic and world reigns would have been enough to consolidate its position as the flagship of Cuban sports, boxing added other important pages to its service record in the year to come to an end.
Havana, December 27 (RHC)-- Although its Olympic and world reigns would have been enough to consolidate its position as the flagship of Cuban sports, boxing added other important pages to its service record in the year to come to an end.
Any attempt to recount must recall the conditions in which the arrival to the event under the five rings was forged, marked by the ghost of the covid-19 prevailing since 2020, which limited the international friction and hindered the distribution of quotas.
The first of these realities weighed especially heavily on Arlen Lopez and Julio Cesar La Cruz, who lacked the optimal competitive preparation to meet presumed rivals after moving up from 75 to 81 and from 81 to 91 kilograms, respectively.
In the midst of this panorama, the tour of Germany, Mexico and the Netherlands was key, enhanced by the six-round bouts that left seven wins and a draw against professionals gathered in the city of Aguascalientes, in the country of the Aztecs.
Then the demonstration of his pupils became a clear message about the results of the work deployed by Rolando Acebal and his team, tinged with adjustments adjusted to the most contemporary trends in sports training.
In short, America did not organize an elimination competition, the places were assigned by ranking and Cuba reached seven of the eight intended, which increases the value of its four titles in Tokyo, including those of Arlen and Julio, also winners in Rio de Janeiro 2016.
The other winners in the Japanese capital were Roniel Iglesias (69 kg), who reedited a joyful experience in London 2012, and Andy Cruz (63 kg), in charge of sealing the perfect performance of his squad in the final bouts held there.
The harvest was completed with the third consecutive bronze medal of Lázaro Álvarez (60 kg) in those competitions, which meant that only Yosbany Veitía (52 kg) and Dainier Peró (+91 kg) returned home without a medal.
Their postponement made Tokyo 2020 the prelude to the world championship, an unprecedented fact that once again put to the test trainers willing to apply innovative actions without renouncing the essence of the school to which they give continuity.
The confrontation came three months after the last bell heard on Tokyo soil, was hosted by Serbia and premiered the 13-category format approved for these events.
Cuba had eight men available after four casualties caused by the pandemic and another by personal decision, but still won three titles in another impeccable final, contributed by the consecrated Julio (92 kg) and Andy (63.5 kg), and the novel Yoenlis Feliciano Hernandez (75 kg).
Two other debutants, Osvel Caballero (57 kg) and Herich Ruiz (86 kg), won third places, while Kevin Brown (67 kg) was praised despite being at the gates of the podium, something unexpectedly happened also to Lazaro (60 kg) and Roniel (71 kg).
It was difficult to combine the fitness of those who covered the road to Tokyo and those called to the ranks lacking that strength, but the wisdom of the experts deserved good marks in that other test and the supremacy exercised in the main Serbian city brought to 12 the number of times Cuba has competed in such scenarios.
A stay in Uzbekistan marked by profitable sparring complemented the training organized at the national school and not even the presence of 13 teams with exponents in all weights prevented the party ahead of two of those: Kazakhstan (2-2-1) and the United States (2-2-0).
The discreet golden bath of Yekaterinburg 2019 (1-1-1) was left behind and July was further enhanced with his fifth ascent to the universal throne.
But the campaign was not only about the seniors. It began and closed with the protagonism of the youngsters.
The world youth championship took place in the Polish city of Kielce, in April, and the Cuban armada won a gold medal and two bronze medals.
Jorge Luis Felimón (91 kg) was the champion, and Dany Landis Lafós (69 kg) and Fernando Arzola (+91 kg) placed their names among the third place finishers.
It is true that six boys were left with the desire to visit the podium, but the preparation was not as desired in the midst of limitations linked to covid-19.
The compensation of the team led by Santiago Suarez colored the tournament of the I Pan American Junior Games Cali 2021, held in the town of Buga: a team of seven boys won four sashes, a silver medal and a bronze medal.
The champions were Edwart Marín (52 kg), Kryhztian Barreras (75 kg), Luis Frank Reinoso (81 kg) and Ronny Álvarez (91 kg); the runner-up was Jorge Forcades (69 kg) and the third place went to Adrián Fresneda (+91 kg), mistreated by an awful refereeing decision.
