Radio Havana Cuba-Olympics Update no.4-18 September 2000 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - Olympics Update no.4 - 18 September 2000 CUBA WINS SILVER AND BRONZE IN SYDNEY TODAY Sydney, September 18 (RHC)-- Cuba is celebrating two medals today: silver in women's 57 kilo division with Driulis Gonzalez and bronze in men's eppe by team. Gonzalez, considered the favorite to win the gold medal, was unable to stop the powerful offensive of Spain's Isabel Fernandez, who this way gave Spain its first gold medal at the Olympics. Bronze went to Japan's Kie Kusakabe, who defeated Chinese Jun Shen, while Australian Maria Pekli upped Cinzia Cavazzuti from Italy. Right after the competition, RHC reporter in Australia, Nelson Acosta, spoke with Driulis Gonzalez. "Well, I'm happy but not satisfied. I wanted to win my second Olympic title and that was not possible. Anyway, to attend three Olympic Games and winning medals in each of them is a good result, not everybody can do that. I have a medal of each color in Olympic games. But as I said, I'm happy but not satisfied. Regarding the tournament in general, competitions have been very tough. Every contender is very well prepared. As I have always said, the champion would be the athlete best prepared and the Spanish athlete won, so I congratulate her." Gonzalez won bronze in Barcelona in 1992, gold in Atlanta in 1996 and silver in Sydney, this time. So far judo has provided three of the four medals won by Cuban athletes in Sydney. Manolo Poulot had the honor of giving the island the satisfaction of its first medal with bronze in men's 60 kilo division. Then Legna Verdecia assaulted the sky with her gold medal, becoming the island's first Olympic Gold medal winner. The third one is that of Gonzalez in women's 57 grabbed today. In men's 73 kilo division, judoka Tiago Camilo of Brazil gave his country the second medal, a silver. Camilo lost to Giuseppe Maddalon from Italy. Meanwhile, bronze went to Antaloy Laryukov from Belaruss and Vsevolods Zelonijs from Latvia. CUBA TAKES BRONZE IN MEN'S EPEE BY TEAMS Sydney, September 18 (RHC) -- In fencing, the Cuban national men's epee team, which includes Atlanta individual silver medallist Ivan Trebejo, won the bronze in the competition by teams this Monday. After losing to France in semifinals 36-45, the island's squad took an easy victory over South Korea in the bronze dispute 45-31. Italy, for its part, defeated France 39-38 and took the olympic title after defeating South Korea in semifinals 44-43. Cuba will also be represented in the women's epee competition by teams that takes place Tuesday. CUBAN ARCHER ADVANCES IN THE MEN'S INDIVIDUAL COMPETITION Sydney, September 18 (RHC) -- Cuban archer Ismely Arias still hopes to make it to quarterfinals in the 70-meter men's individual event after his victory over Ukrainian Igor Parkhomenko 164-160. On Monday he also defeated British Simon Needham 10-8 in the tie-break after they both finished with 164 points. Arias is the only Latin American representative still alive in this competition after also Cuban Juan Stevens was defeated by Australian Simon Fairweather 170-161 and Mexican Juan Manjarrez lost to Hassan Orbay, from Turkey, 165-153. Salvadoran Cristobal Merlos had also been eliminated by the US's Victor Wunderle 160-150. CUBAN BOXERS CONTINUED MONDAY THEIR WINNING STREAK IN SYDNEY Sydney, September 18 (RHC) -- In 75 kilos, Jorge Gutierrez defeated Somchai Cimlum, from Thailand, 20-11 in what many described as the best bout of the third day of competitions. Meanwhile, in 57 kilos, Yosvani Aguilera made his olympic debut in the feather-weight with an easy victory over Japanese Hidehiko Tsukamoto who ended up outclassed in the third round by the island's representative 17-2. These were the fourth and fifth consecutive victories of the Cuban team. Gutierrez will now face Greek Antonias Giannoulas who won his bout over Italian Ottavio Barone 12-8. For his part, Aguilera will take on Juri Mladenov from Bulgaria who beat Ukrainian Servin Suleymanov 7-4. 1)The United States 4 5 2 11 2) Australia 3 2 4 9 3) France 3 2 1 6 (c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. Todos los derechos reservados. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= rhc-eng-28909 2000-Sep-19 04:38:44