Boxing led Cuba’s harvest yesterday, with the gold medals obtained by Lazaro Alvarez, in the 60 kilogram division, Julio Cesar La Cruz (81 kilos) and Lenier Pero (+91), while Yosbany Veitia (52) and Roniel Iglesias (69) lost their respective fights for the title.
Cruz retained the crown won at the Pan-American Games of Guadalajara 2011, beating Venezuelan Albert Ramirez3-0; Alvarez also won by unanimous decision against Mexican Lindolfo Delgado and Pero defeated the representative of Venezuela, Edgar Muñoz, 2-1.
Meanwhile, Iglesias lost, in a controversial 2-1 verdict, against Venezuelan Gabriel Maestre, like his compatriot Yosbany Veitia, who was defeated by U.S. boxer Antonio Vargas 3-0.
Cuban athletics also closed in style its performance in the Pan-Ams, adding two gold medals by way of marathon runner Richer Perez and woman heptathlon athlete Yorgelis Perez, while the men’s 4×400 relay was second in another outstanding performance.
Cuban Rodriguez assured the golden medal with a Pan-American record of 6,332 points, followed by U.S. athlete Heather Miller (6178) and Brazilian Vanessa Spinola (6035).
Also, Richer Perez gave the big surprise of the day, after winning the crown in the exhausting marathon event with a personal best of 2:17:04 hours, followed by Peruvian Raul Pacheco (2:17:13) and Argentinean Martiano Mastromarino (2:17:45).
Finally, the Cuban men’s 4×400 relay crossed second the finishing line with a time of 2: 59.84 minutes, slightly outdone by the team of Trinidad and Tobago (2:59.60), and ahead of the U.S. favorite (3: 00.21).
The other silver medal for Cuba in the penultimate round of competitions of the Games corresponded to cyclist Marlies Mejias, runner-up in the modality of route, only surpassed by Canadian Jasmin Glaesser.
In turn, karateist Jander Tiril finished with bronze, after losing 9-1 in the semifinals against Ecuadorian Franklin Mina in the over 84 kilogram category.
Without competitors scheduled for the final day of the Games on Sunday, Cuba closed its performance in Toronto with 36 gold medals, 27 silver and 34 bronze, valid for fourth place in the overall medal table by countries.
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