HAVANA, Cuba added two gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday, taking its tally to four so far in the tournament.
The first came when Serguey Torres and Fernando Dayan took first place in the men’s canoe double 1000m final.
“We are proud of our performance and history,” Torres said. “It would have been impossible for us to be here without the older generations of canoeists.”
Also on Tuesday, Cuban boxer Roniel Iglesias won his second Olympic gold medal after having been training in a bubble on the outskirts of Havana during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 32-year-old said that this title confirmed that he was still ready to compete in international events for years to come.
“I have been training over the past few months,” he said. “I feel strong and confident in myself. I am still an elite athlete.”
Earlier on Monday, Cuba’s Greco-Roman wrestlers Mijain Lopez and Luis Orta had gained the first gold medals for the Cuban Olympic delegation.
Meanwhile, Leurys Pupo placed second during the men’s 25-metre rapid fire pistol event, as Yaime Perez won the bronze medal in the women’s discus final.
In addition, Juan Miguel Echevarria took silver in the long jump, with his teammate Maykel Masso taking bronze.
Cuba has amassed 226 medals since its Olympic debut at the 1900 Paris Games, ranking first among Latin American and Caribbean countries in Olympic history.
With a total five gold medals predicted to be won, the island expects to place among the top 20 in the overall medal count at the Tokyo Olympics.
(Agencies)
