A number of wrestlers with competitive experience in international competition, and young athletes with immediate prospects, will represent Cuba in the coming Pan American Games, a cast that, according to specialists, has the potential to claim three gold medals, one silver, and two bronze medals.
Alejandro Valdés (65kg), winner of a World Cup bronze medal and of an outstanding competitor in the German Bundesliga; Geandry Garzón (74); Reineris Salas (97), who has placed second in two Word Cups and the Pan Americans; and Oscar Pino in the 125kg bear the greatest responsibility.
Given the high level of the U. S. and Canadian teams, it will not be easy to surpass the results of the previous Games in Toronto, where Cuba won two titles with Yowlis Bonne in the 57kg and Reineris Salas in 97. Aware of the competition, the coaching staff, headed by Julio Mendieta, has developed several strategies that should bear fruit.
A key move was the incorporation of super heavyweight Oscar Pino to the freestyle team, moving from the Greco-Roman to reinforce the 125kg division. This change has already yielded satisfactory dividends with Pino winning bronze medals at the World Cup in Yakutia, Russia, and at the Pan-American Championships in Buenos Aires.Reineris Salas will face strong rivals, including Kyle Snider from the United States, Olympic champion in Rio 2016.
The team successfully completed a training camp on the Isle of Youth, without injuries, and all the athletes are in excellent condition. Among those participating was Reineris Andréu who holds a world title in the sub-23s category.
Completing the delegation to the Games are Yuriesky Torreblanca (86kg) and Geandry Garzón (74 kg), both highly skilled and ready to face the strong U.S. team.
CUBAN WOMEN NOT TO BE LEFT BEHIND
If there is a discipline that in recent years has experienced a rapid rise within our sports movement, it is women's wrestling. Led by coach Filiberto Delgado, they will arrive at these Pan-American Games intent upon continuing to make history.
Lianna de la Caridad Montero, world youth runner-up in Finland 2018 and bronze among adults in Hungary, and Yudaris Sanchez, also a silver medalist in Finland and world champion in the sub-23, will be our representatives in the 57 and 68kg, respectively, both with real prospects to take the title.
The other members of the team are young women with extraordinary talent, who will not be easy prey for any rival: Yusneylis Guzmán (50kg), Lilianet Duanes (53), Mavelquis Capote (76) and Yaquelín Estornell (62), a veteran of Toronto, who won silver at that time in the 58kg. All will surely hit the mat ready to conquer a medal.
