CAMAGÜEY. — Excellent organization, wins for almost all the pre-competition favorites and outstanding performances by the under 20s, characterized the recently concluded 54th Playa Girón National Boxing Tournament.
It was obvious from pre-competition events that this tournament would be unlike any previous edition. The Rafael Fortún Sports Center, in the city of Camagüey, went all out to welcome Cuba’s top fighters of recent years. Organizers worked to the finest detail to ensure that competitors, trainers, referees, representatives of boxing federations and the press enjoyed a setting to rival any other global boxing venue.
Speaking to Granma International, Yanet Castellón Muñoz, provincial methodologist for large-scale events of the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (INDER) in Camagüey, noted that she was pleased with the efforts of staff and artists involved in organizing the event.
“We began refurbishing the Fortún Hall in August, in order to offer the boxing family the best space possible. Workers at the site approached the challenge of renovating the site with dedication. On Saturdays and Sundays they worked on the outdoor areas, repairing the roof, the protocol hall and offices; all the windows were replaced as well as office furniture,” she stated.
The boxing event unfolded like a battle, which saw the country’s top fighters triumph, except in the 91kg category, where Guantánamo’s Frank Sánchez secured a resounding win against his teammate Erislandy Savón, ranked number one in the weight class.
It is worth highlighting that boxers Roniel Iglesias (69kg) from Pinar del Río, and Julio César La Cruz (81kg) and Yasnier Toledo (64kg) of Camagüey, won their eighth, seventh and sixth national titles, respectively.
The remaining champions of the 2014 Villa Clara event all revalidated their titles: Santiago Amador (49kg) of Matanzas; Yosvani Veitía (52kg) from Sancti Spiritus; Robeisy Ramírez (56kg) of Cienfuegos; Lázaro Álvarez (60kg) of Pinar del Río; Arlen López (75kg) from Guantánamo and Leinier Peró (+ 91kg), of Camagüey.
In regards to provinces, Camagüey won the competition for the fifth consecutive occasion – a first for a tournament of this kind – ending with a total of three gold medals and seven medals. The squads from Guantánamo and Pinar del Río placed in second and third respectively. However, the Pinar del Río squad, current champions of the Team Tournament, provided a disappointing performance, with just two of its heavyweights reaching the semifinals, a situation that managers in the province will have to analyze.
Like almost all tournaments, the event saw the participation of debut competitors; a hit with fans, trainers and the press, such as silver medalists Jorge Altunaga (49kg) from Villa Clara, and Osley Iglesias (75kg) from Matanzas, who, alongside bronze medal winners Erich Ruiz (91kg) and Marlon Linspier (69kg) from Pinar del Río, represent future Cuban boxing talent.
Meanwhile, we will have to wait until January 2016 to enjoy another boxing competition on Cuban soil, when the Sixth World Series of Boxing kicks off in Havana, marking the start of training for Cuban fighters looking toward the Río de Janeiro Olympic Games.
