2024-04-06 10:50:25
Text: Editorial Cuba Noticias 360
Foto: RL Hevia
Cuba maintains intact the aspirations of its four fighters present in the first pre-Olympic boxing tournament for Paris 2024, which has been held in the Italian city of Busto Arsizio since last Monday and will end this Sunday.
The second success of Jorge Cuéllar in the 71 kilograms and the happy debut of Erislandy Álvarez in the 63.5 the day before, maintained the undefeated of the Antillean representation in the men’s box, although Legnis Calá (57 kg) and Yakelín Estornell (66 kg) They were eliminated in previous days and failed to become the first Cuban boxers to access an event under the five rings.
Cuéllar from Sancti Spiritus, who came to the event with the guarantee of the Central Caribbean bronze in San Salvador 2023, finished off the Chinese Mengyang Zhao with a unanimous score of 5-0 in his favor, the same result that he exhibited in his initial fight on Tuesday against the Tongan Taufa Levemaau.
Now, only the Jordanian Zeyad Ashash separates him from the ticket to the French capital, who has a victory against the Cuban Olympic double-monarch Roniel Iglesias in his record and will be a much tougher nut to crack.
For his part, the world titleholder Álvarez had to work hard not to return home after his first fight. His rival, the American Emilio García, sold the defeat dearly and the Cuban won with a divided vote of the judges of 3-2.
The second presentation of the super lightweight from Cienfuegos will take place on Saturday against the Tajik Bakhodur Usmonov. That same day, Fernando Arzola (91kg) will also jump into the ring at the Maria Piantanida Sports Palace against an old acquaintance, the Chinese Danabieke Bayikewuzi, his victim on the way to the podium in the last universal competition where he won the silver medal.
Finally, Alejandro Claro, also from Sancti Spiritus, will close the performances of the Cuban boxers. The world bronze in Tashkent 2023 will compete with the Ecuadorian Fernando Delgado on Sunday and the presence of the Tamers in the Italian competition could give him a gold medal.
Only four representatives of the Caribbean island attended this first qualifying event in Paris, since Julio César la Cruz (92 kg), Arlen López (80 kg) and Saidel Horra (57 kg) obtained their passports in the last Pan American Games in Santiago de Chile.
After the pre-Olympic in Busto Arsizio, the Thai capital Bangkok will host the second and final event in May in which the places for the Parisian boxing tournament will be filled, the finals of which will be held at the legendary Philippe-Chatrier, the center court of the Roland Garros complex.