2024-04-05 07:18:01
Text: Editorial Cuba Noticias 360
Foto: RL Hevia
The boxer Alejandro Claro made up a very discreet performance by Cuba in the Boxing Pre-Olympic that ended this Monday in the Italian city of Busto Arsizio. The bronze medalist in the last Tashkent 2023 World Cup was the only Antillean who got a ticket to the summer event of the six fighters who attended this first qualifying tournament.
The fly from Sancti Spiritus got the ticket to the French capital after defeating the experienced Colombian Yuberjén Martínez, who arrived with the endorsement of the silver metal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. But the Cuban did not believe in favoritism and starred in a disciplined and technical fight to win the judges vote 3-1.
Claro’s performance in the 51 kilograms saves the honor of a Caribbean delegation that almost left the transalpine city empty-handed. The premature eliminations of Legnis Calá (57 kg) and Yakelín Estornell (66 kg), the first women on the island in search of Olympic passage in history, were followed by Jorge Cuéllar (71 kg), Erislandy Álvarez (63.5 kg) and Fernando Arzola (+92 kg) this weekend.
At the moment, Cuban boxing only has four places for Paris 2024, since Julio César la Cruz (92 kg), Arlen López (80 kg) and Saidel Horra (57 kg) got their passports at the Pan American Games in Santiago From Chile.
The five fighters now eliminated – three men and two women – have another chance at the second pre-Olympic event, scheduled to be held from May 23 to June 3 in Bangkok, Thailand. If it does not get its tickets, Cuba would attend the Olympic Games for the first time without a complete team in boxing, its flagship sport in these competitions.
For the tournament under the five rings of the so-called “City of Light”, the organizers intend to hold the fights for the medal discussion in the mythical Philippe-Chatrier park, the center court of the Roland Garros complex, home of the third Grand Slam of the professional tennis season.