Taekwondo and weightlifting raise 35 Cubans in 11 sports to qualify for Paris-2024

Taekwondists Rafael Alba and Arlettys de la Caridad Acosta, and weightlifter Ayamey Medina, raised to 35 the number of Cuban athletes in 11 disciplines with assured places for the Paris-2024 Olympic Games.

Alba, two-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist in Tokyo-2020, and Arlettys, double Central Caribbean champion, sealed their places with outstanding performances in the continental qualifier that has just concluded in the Dominican Republic.

With three wins in a row, Acosta (67 kg) secured one of the two spots in his division for Paris, while Alba (+80) reached his ticket with two victories, the last one against continental multi medalist Marc André Bergeron (Canada).

In statements to the press, Acosta was very happy with her passport to Paris, especially because since London-2012 no Cuban taekwondo woman had qualified for the Olympic Games and praised the level of Dominican Katherin Roriguez, her victim in the fight for the summer ticket.

Ayamey, meanwhile, remained among the top 10 of the Olympic ranking in her division (81 kg), despite the fact that she could not compete in the recent World Cup in Phuket, Thailand, as she is recovering from shoulder surgery.

The Cuban moved from sixth to eighth place in the qualifying ranking, but it was enough to qualify for a place in Paris, the only one for the island's weightlifters.

"I am happy with my result and grateful to the classification system that allowed me to be among the top 10 in the ranking," Ayamey told reporters from Thailand and thanked all those who had to do with her surgery and recovery.

During the last few days, three shooters from the island also qualified for the Tournament of the Americas held in Argentina: pistol shooters Laina Perez and Jorge Felix Alvarez, and rifle shooter Lisbeth Hernandez.