The delegation that represented Cuba in the Paris-2024 Olympic Games returns to the homeland with the satisfaction of having competed with dignity and adherence to the values of our sport, inspired by the legacy of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro and the commitment to give their all in each outing, even if the results did not always leave the desired results.
We are also grateful for the many expressions of support received from the island, where the people to whom we are indebted followed with interest what happened during these intense and very demanding days, with the main leaders of the Revolution being aware of every detail.
In that sense, we are honored to highlight the congratulatory message issued by Army General Raúl Castro Ruz on the coronation of our standard bearer Mijaín López, and the telephone dialogues held by the First Secretary of the Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, with the fighter himself and other main protagonists of what happened here, where the attention of our diplomatic mission was also key and the I Am Cuba House in Tremblay-en-France became a space open to the truth of our country.
We were also aware of the pronouncements of many other comrades, which were joined by countless expressions of support, arriving by different means and also from other countries, always marked by affection and respect for those who turned them into additional motivations for the battle, assumed by 61 athletes in 16 sports.
With presence in 53 of the 329 events, the conquest of two gold medals, one silver and six bronze placed Cuba in 32nd place by countries, which meant not satisfying the purpose of a place among the top 20, but even when more relaxed analysis remains, it is necessary to ratify that there was no triumphalism in that aspiration.
As we have stated in different spaces, we took it on aware that making it a reality would require an almost perfect response from our main candidates to be crowned, and the fact that only one of them was left without a medal demonstrates the value of the studies from which it emerged.
Also along these lines, it is appropriate to state that even though the number of participants is lower than that achieved for Tokyo-2020, when there were 69, the fact that we now have 61 qualifiers is once again a meritorious achievement for a country without the possibilities of the great powers and impacted by the intensification of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States government.
This multiplies the significance of the consecration with which athletes and coaches overcame limitations to make the most of the preparation, supported by the political will associated with the role assigned to sports in our country, the multiplication of alliances in the field of science and innovation, and the contribution of supportive friends who guaranteed important stays in several French locations.
Likewise, without closing any door to the classification process, we worked in a differentiated manner at the level of sports and strategic figures, in accordance with the available resources, and we consolidated the medical-psychological care, the anti-doping control and the study of opponents, also endorsed by the reality experienced during these days.
Our delegation, entirely made up of exponents of the Cuban sports system, maintained an ethical behavior, adjusted to fair play, discipline, respect for the opponents and the spirit of fraternal exchange, and received stimulating expressions of sympathy in all scenarios, something we are grateful for with healthy pride, motivated by the international prestige of the Revolution.
As for results, a logical and well-deserved ovation for the great Mijaín, a classic style fighter who allowed us to share a unique moment, with his arrival to five titles in these scenarios.
We applauded the young boxer Erislandy Alvarez, protagonist of an exciting golden debut, as well as the rest of the medalists, meaning that Yusneylis Guzman (silver) and Yarisleidis Cirilo (bronze) debuted on the podium our wrestlers and canoeists, respectively.
Arlen Lopez (bronze) became the second boxer from the island with medals in three divisions, Luis Alberto Orta (bronze) fixed in four the number of wrestlers with more than one medal at this level, Rafael Alba (bronze) went down in the books as our first double Olympic medalist in Taekwondo, and Gabriel Rosillo (bronze) and Milaimy Marin (bronze) completed the decisive contribution of wrestling, with the latter expanding the role of women, who in general added three podium finishes.
Our recognition to those who were not part of this vanguard, but who lived up to the expectations, even with historic personal performances. And for undisputed glories such as judo player Idalys Ortiz and boxer Julio César La Cruz, who have now been dismissed without medals.
We are also accompanied by the dissatisfaction generated by performances below expectations, beyond the failure to win medals, particularly in sports with figures capable of achieving them.
We bid farewell to an extremely demanding event, confirming phenomena such as nationalizations based on results, refereeing inconsistencies and performances forged under the protection of material and human resources foreign to the countries of origin of its protagonists, a context in which the blocked, attacked and slandered Cuba, without a single imported athlete or coach in its ranks, once again led Central America and the Caribbean, was fourth in the Americas and wrote pages unknown to not a few developed countries.
That is why, just hours before the 98th anniversary of his birth, we evoke with special affection Fidel, creator and promoter of a sports system available to all, we reiterate our praise to our athletes and we assume nonconformities and weaknesses from what means the commitment of knowing that we are the continuators of his work.
Paris, August 11, 2024 •
