CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA December 31, 1997 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org 1997 NATIONAL SPORTS ROUND UP Despite economic hardships and some unexpected results in baseball and boxing, Cuban athletes continued to lead the Latinamerican region. With more than 30 000 physical education professors, the sports movement on the island had its most outstanding results in track and field, including the Paris indoors and the Athens outdoor championships. Athletics harvested an astonishing total of 11 medals--seven of them gold. In Paris, the cuban athletes won three gold and two silver medals to finish in second place by countries, while a few months later, in Athens, the cubans ratified their potentialities, coming third among 201 nations, with four gold, one silver and one bronze medal. Ana Fidelia Quirot in women's 800 meters and Ivan Pedroso in men's long jump once again made headlines with the revalidation of their supremacy after winning the Grand prix circuit organized every year by the International Athletics Federation. Yoel Garcia in men's triple jump; Anier Garcia in men's 60 meters hurdles; and long jumper Ivan Pedroso were winners in Paris. In Greece winners were, along with Pedroso and Quirot, high jumper Javier Sotomayor and triple jumper Yoelvis Quesada. For Sotomayor, who ended empty-handed in the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, his victory this year meant his career is not over and that he will continue in the competitive arena for a while to come. But if track and field harvested satisfaction for the island's sports fans, baseball and boxing yielded poor results in two international competitions during 1997. Barcelona was the scenario of a sour summer for Cuban baseball fans, when after having held it for more than six years, the Cubans lost the title in the finals to Japan 2-11, with the Intercontinental Cup title going to Asia. Results in baseball, a live passion for most Cubans, were characterized by a series of irregularities in the luxury team, which went down the wrong road. Just weeks after the Barcelona defeat, the team managed only three victories in 9 games against Japan. That marked the beginning of the end for head coach Jorge Fuentes, who was replaced by Miguel Valdes. October was the month for boxing as Budapest, the Hungarian capital, hosted the Amateur World Championship. More than 300 boxers from 60 nations converged in Budapest, where Cuba arrived as the favorite after having dominated the world scenario since the Havana 1974 world championship through to Berlin'95,although in 1995, due to poor arbitring that favoring the host nation, the island lost its crown. In Budapest, the story was again the same. Judges that favored some boxers over others, and complicated scoring mechanisms weighed heavy on the island's results. Cuba won three gold, four silver and three bronze medals. Maikro Romero shone in the 48 kilo division from the eliminatories up to the title. However, it was not the same for two experienced Olympic and World champs: Ariel Hernandez, in 75, and Felix Savon, in 91, who had to content themselves with the silver. Savon, for his part, was unable to revalidate his world title for a 6th time when he lost 14-4 to Rusland Chagayev from Uzbekistan. Fencing--an elite discipline in Europe--brought in a pleasant summer, when the island finished second in the world championship held in South Africa in July. Cuban fencers are in a disadvantageous position regarding the rest of the athletes of the world since they lack most of the latest implements available on the market due to the country's economic difficulties. But it was not a major hindrance for the Cuban men's foil fencers, who won the World Cup by nations, a trophy granted in South Africa. In the world championship, Cuba won two gold and two silver. The most outstanding fencer of the year was Miraida Garcia, world champ in women's sword. The Cuban women's judo team won three silver medals in the world championship held in Paris via Amarilis Savon, in 48, Driulis Gonzalez, in 65, and Diadenis Lunas, in 72. In volleyball, the women's squad grabbed second place at the Grand Prix tournament and the Cup of Champs in Asia. Tough veteran and important players like Mireya Luis and Regla Torres were not in the regular line up, the team presented a series of new figures who exhibited promising results with a view to the new Olympic cycle. In men's, the team is also going through renovations. After the summer games of 1996, one of the main auxiliary attackers, Alain Roca, is now being prepared as a passer. The fiesta of university students athletes moved to Sicily, Italy in the summer. The island took part in 28 disciplines, with a 90 member delegation that harvested 21 medals, 7 of them gold. Another major event for the island's sports movement was the new world supremacy established by deep sea diver Debora Andollo on December 5th. She plunged into the depths of the Caribbean Sea 65 meters in constant ballast, a modality she has told reporters is her favorite, but at the same time one of the most demanding of all. This was Debora's second record this year. Debora Andollo's other record was in the regulated variable ballast, set at 90 meters. She was selected one of Cuba's most outstanding athletes of the year in the category of sports not included in the Olympic program. World champs runner Ana Fidelia Quirot in women's 800 meters, and Ivan Pedroso in men's long jump, were selected best athletes of the year in Cuba. The list of winners in the different categories was officially announced by the National Sports Institute by mid December. Quirot won the world title in 800 meters in Athens, Greece, with a speed of one minute and 54.82 seconds; and reached the top place in the Grand Prix ranking. The Cuban runner also harvested four gold and two silver medals in seven Grand Prix events, along with nine other gold medals at other international competitions. Pedroso, in turn, holds the indoor and outdoor world titles in men's long jump and the best mark of the year with 8.63 meters. Track and field in the individual and volleyball in the team categories were named as the most outstanding sports. Volleyball players Regla Torres and Iosvani Hernandez were selected as best athletes for team sports. Rooky of the year went to greco-roman wrestler Wilfredo Garcia. Among disabled athletes, the best were Miguel Martinez in men's and Kenia Carvajal in women's, with the best sports being basketball in wheele chair. The National Sports Institute survey also selected the 10 most outstanding athletes in major and junior categories. The island's sports movement saw a tragic loss with the death of one of its most remarkable officials, when Manuel Gonzalez Guerra-- president of the National Olympic committee died in April at the age of 83. Cuban vicepresident Jose Ramon Fernandez replaced Gonzalez Guerra. Meanwhile Humberto Rodriguez was appointed as new president of the National Sports Institute. A new olympic cycle is on and Cuban athletes, trainners, specialists and officials have their eyes and efforts set on the Olympic games of the year 2000. Their aim is to improve their 8th place standing by nations they won in the Atlanta summer games. [c] 1997. 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