At the end of the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games held in Mexico’s state of Veracruz (east) from Nov. 14 to 30, Cuba finished first and recovered its regional dominance.
Despite the bad weather conditions that forced changes in the original schedule, the athletes of more than 30 Central American and Caribbean countries participated in the games.
In the last days of the competitions, Cuba excelled in field athletics, rowing, boxing and other sports to recover the dominance lost in Mayaguez 2010, when it did not participate in the games due to the U.S. embargo.
In the medal count, Cuba reached 123 gold medals, eight more than that of Mexico, the host country and regional champion, who finished with 115 gold medals.
Despite the expected results, there were some surprises proving that the regional quality level is growing.
The closing ceremony of the games was held on Sunday night with a show including Colombian singer Juanes and a dazzling choreography of Veracruz’s traditional song La Bamba. Endi
Mijain Lopez Chosen as Best Cuban Wrestler in 2014
Mijain Lopez Chosen as Best Cuban Wrestler in 2014 HAVANA, Cuba, Dec 4 (acn) Mijaín Lopez, double Olympic champion and five-time world champion in Greco-Roman Wrestling was chosen today as the best Cuban athlete of the discipline this year.
Lopez (130 kg) achieved in 2014 his fifth title in world tournaments in the competition organized in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, last September, and also reached the gold medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz, last November.
Today, federative, coaches and wrestlers came together with the press at Cerro Pelado School for High Performance Athletes, in Havana, to recognize the best exponents of this combat sport, always present in the medals table in Olympic and universal competitions.
Eduardo Perez, Wrestling national commissioner, said that they will continue training in order to conquer new goals, including a good performance in Toronto 2015 Pan American Games, appointment to which 12 Cuban wrestlers are already qualified.
He added that six other competitors will seek their tickets to Canada as Cuba aspires to attend this event with an entire team.
Some of those attending the meeting also stressed that these combat sport needs more fighting experiences, especially the members of the national team, who are urged to have training bases in other nations in order to raise their level.
MORE HIGH LIGHTS FOLLOW
Cuban Track and Field Digs Out Five Gold Medals in CAC Games
HAVANA, Cuba, Nov 28 (acn) Cuban athletics conquered five titles yesterday, maintaining thus its good performance in the 22nd Central American and Caribbean Games, based in Veracruz , Mexico, where the rowers won t heir first title.
The golden path was initiated by Omar Cisneros, who won the men´s 400 meter hurdles with time of 49.56 seconds to achieve his season best and relegating to Puerto Rican Eric Alexander ( 50.05) and Leslie Murray from Virgin Islands ( 50.21).
Another source of joy was the gold medal won by Sergio Mestre, in the men’s high jump by reaching 2.26 meters, which was his personal best.
Mestre was escorted by Venezuelan Eure Yanez and Bahamian Ryan Ingraham, both with 2.24 meters.
Also on Thursday, Roberto Skyers and Reynier Mena made the one-two in the men´s 200 meters , just like their compatriots Yorgelis Rodriguez and Yusleidys Mendieta, who conquered in that order the gold and silver medals in the women´s heptathlon.
In other results, Andy Gonzalez (3:45.52 minutes) beat on the line the host Pablo Solares, while the bronze medal went to the also local Christopher Sandoval in the men´s 1 500 meters.
In women´s athletics, Cuba also earned silver medals through Yaniuvis Lopez and Dainelis Alcantara in the shot put and triple jump, respectively; and Adriana Muñoz finished third in the 1 500 meters.
Related to rowing, Cuba reached the first title at Mandinga Lagoon, by winning the men´s coxless four event with time of 5:45.10 minutes and was escorted by.México (5:50.91) and Venezuela (6:05.94), in that order.
In badminton, Osleni Guerrero, best player in the Americas, qualified to the semifinals in the men’s singles and his opponent will be Guatemalan Rodolfo Ramirez.
The Cuban women´s, men´s and mixed doubles of that sport also qualify to that same round.
In team sports, Cuban women´s softball beat 3-2 Mexico, and the men´s water polo defeated 10-7 Venezuela in the preliminary stage.
In beach volleyball, the women won 2-0 over the Dominican Republic, but men lost 0-2 to the host duo; while the men’s volleyball were defeated in three sets by Puerto Rico.
Yusleidys Mendieta and Yorgelis Rodriguez added two more with their stellar 1-2 finish in the Heptathlon.
Just moments after Rosalia Vasquez captured Cuba’s first medal of these Championships with her triumph in the Discus Throw, Yusleidys Mendieta and Yorgelis Rodriguez added two more with their stellar 1-2 finish in the Heptathlon.
Mendieta, who chiseled together a 77-point lead after day one, forged on to tally 5697 points, the best score in the world this year, topping her teammate’s 5671 by just 26 points. Their battle was the second closest ever at these Championships – the 2003 title was decided by just 13 points – and both ended the weekend within the Youth all-time top-10, Mendieta taking position No. 6 and Rodriquez No. 7.
Mendieta was fifth after the first event where she posted a 14.05 personal best in the 100m Hurdles then followed with another PB, a 1.78m clearance in the High Jump to move into second place behind Belgian Marjolein Lindemans who cleared an impressive 1.84m.
A 12.66m toss in the Shot Put was enough to propel her into the lead, one she padded to 77 points over the Belgian after a 24.63 dash in the 200m, another personal best.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez, 11th after the hurdles, moved up to seventh after the High Jump and into fourth after the Shot Put. A 24.76 in the 200m moved her into third and solid medal contention.
Mendieta began day two with a 5.89m leap in the Long Jump, reached a PB 43.88m in the Javelin Throw before completing the competition with a 2:35.23 in the 800m, ending her stellar two days of competition in Lille with yet another personal best.
Rodriguez produced a strong second day of her own, steadily narrowing the gap first on the Belgian, and then her teammate with a 5.81m leap in the Long Jump, a 41.06m PB Javelin toss, and a 2:24.67 run in the 800m.
Lindemans maintained her form to take the bronze with a 4837 point tally, edging her teammate Nafissatou Thiam (4738) for bronze.
Astoundingly, each of the 31 finishers produced personal bests.