Cuba with 17 players to the Pelota Vasca World Championship in Biarritz
Havana, October 17 (JIT) - A total of 17 players will represent Cuba at the Biarritz 2022 World Absolute Basque Pelota Championship in Biarritz, France, scheduled for October 23-29.
The national commission of this sport confirmed to JIT that the delegation would take part in 12 of the 18 modalities of the lid, including frontball, of premiere in both sexes at this level.
That scope will finally depend on the previous qualifiers in search of the last World Cup tickets, which in the case of Cuba involves actions in frontenis (m), 30-meter fronton rubber paddle (m and f) and trinquete rubber paddle (f).
These competitions, forced by the suspension of World Cups and other qualifying competitions due to Covid-19, will take place on October 21 and 22, just hours before the inauguration of the great event.
Some 360 pelotaris from 34 nations from the five continents are expected to gather in the Basque-French town, which already hosted this competition in 1978.
According to the International Federation of Basque Pelota (FIPV), the number of scheduled matches exceeds 300 and will be broadcast on television and live on the Internet.
The Cuban delegation focuses its medal aspirations on the paleta leather event, in which it has a good track record and the most experienced athletes of the group, namely Anderson Jardines, Alejandro Gonzalez and Frendy Fernandez.
There are also great expectations with the girls of the 30-meter fronton, Yasmary Medina, Daniela Darriba, Wendy Durán and Laura Álvarez, especially the first two, whose levels and experience can open the doors again to the discussion of medals.
Four years ago, in the Barcelona 2018 edition, the Cuban delegation took part in 11 modalities and won two bronze medals, valid for the fifth place by countries.
The metals came precisely in leather paddle and women's frontenis, the same in which new possibilities of triumphs are now open.
Medina and Darriba are currently in a preparation base in Tenerife, Spain, while their teammates in the leather paddle are also in Iberian soil, exactly in Íscar.
During the world competition, the XXVII FIPV General Assembly will be held, with an agenda that includes new elections. For the Americas, the competition has a special detail in store, as it will award a ticket in eight categories for the Pan American Games of Santiago 2023. Obviously, they will correspond to the best placed country in each case.
In the historical medal list of these championships, dominated by Spain with 69 crowns, 74 silver medals and 39 bronze medals, Cuba is in sixth place with a total of 2-6-16.
CUBAN DELEGATION
FRONTON 30 METERS
Men's Paleta Rubber: Dayán Aguirre Leiva and Alain Aguirre Leiva.
Women's Paleta rubber: Wendy Durán Arroyo and Daniela Darriba Yera.
Men's Frontenis: Dayán Aguirre Leiva, Alain Aguirre Leiva and Orlando Silva Hernández.
Women's Frontennis: Yasmary de la Caridad Medina Armenteros, Wendy Durán Arroyo, Daniela Darriba Yera and Laura Álvarez Prado.
36-METER FRONTON
Paleta leather and short paddle: Anderson Jardines Valdez, Alejandro Gonzáles Ceballo and Frendy Fernández Turro.
FRONTON 54 METERS
Cesta punta: Edgar Monier Chapman and Dariel Cruz González.
TRINQUET
Individual hand: George Luis Barcelán Rodríguez and Luis Lenox Limonta Lestapier.
Mano pairs: George Luis Barcelán Rodríguez, Luis Lenox Limonta Lestapier, Dariel Leiva Nelson and Cristian Abreu Ferrer.
Paleta rubber female: Laura Álvarez Prado and Suniaris de la Caridad Rodríguez Castellanos.
FRONTBALL
Men: Cristian Abreu Ferrer and Dariel Leiva Nelson.
Women: Suniaris de la Caridad Rodríguez Castellanos.
COACHES: Camilo Valdez Frías, Alejandro Placer García, Orlando Colominas Rizo, Eddys Delmis Casero Carbonell and Ramsés Ortiz Macías.
