The 130kg wrestler Mijaín López, and judoka, Idalis Ortiz (+78kg), were voted the most outstanding Cuban athletes of 2014, due to the titles each won at World Championships and in the 24th Central American and Caribbean Games held in Veracruz.
This year López increased his world titles total to five, in addition to his two Olympic gold medals, while Ortiz extended her world titles to two, in addition to her Olympic gold medal, placing her at the top of the world ranking in her category.
After the results of the voting by specialists from the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation and the press were revealed, it was also announced that boxing had grabbed the top prize with the Domadores de Cuba team and also as an individual discipline, since the collective prize went to baseball.
Basketball player, Yamara Amargo, and baseball player, Yulieski Gourriel, were chosen as the most outstanding team sports athletes, whilst baseball player, Vladimir Gutiérrez, won the newcomer of the year award.
The top 10 athletes were Yarisley Silva (track and field), Ángel Fournier (rowing), Marlies Mejías (cycling), Erislandy Savón (boxing), Julio César la Cruz (boxing), Reinieris Salas (free-style wrestling), Lisandra Guerra (cycling), Libán López (free-style wrestling), José Armenteros (judo) and Manrique Larduet (artistic gymnastics).
Among the most prominent youth athletes were Yordan Alain Hernández (boxing) and Gilda Casanova (track and field), together with Yorgelis Rodríguez, Sahily Diago, Liadagmis Rodríguez and Lázaro Martínez, all from track and field.
Completing the list were Iván Silva (judo), Alain Limonta and Javier Ibañez (boxing), Osmany Uriarte (volleyball), Frank Manuel López (football) and Daniela Darriba (Basque pelota).
The event also saw recognitions for all the Veracruz medalists, especially the several times champions, as well as World medal winners, with emphasis on World title holders.
The artistic gymnastics multi medalist, Yesenia Ferrera, from the youth category, was also recognized for her brilliant performance in the Veracruz competition.
