Its victory is everyone’s: Putting our hearts into Cuba

Watching to the Tokyo2020 Olympic Games has been to many people one of the most emotional, gratifying, and entertaining experiences in the last couple of weeks. Both culture and sports are capable of taking us out of our reality. And now it is the perfect timing especially when we have been living for more than a year under the agony of a pandemic.

Despite the time difference, which somehow disturbed the usual sleep schedule, the Games, broadcasted by the Olympic Channels 1 and 2, could be watched this time in high definition and it helped raise expectations every time a Cuban athlete competed, triggering applauses and cries of joy since very early in the morning on.

With the Olympic Games, children at home — they cannot enjoy their leisure time vacationing due to the pandemic— learned about some sports disciplines. Others, who practice some of these sports disciplines felt connected and moved, and grandparents did not waste any time and enjoyed the tournament either.

The development of Internet in our nation; namely, data and Nauta Hogar services, allowed the athletes to communicate with their families and neighbors in real time and exchanged some words with our President. Every viewer could feel the emotion although it was broadcasted by a cold, simple TV screen.

Facebook, one of the many existing social networks, was once again the main platform to make public the daily sports event schedule. Users could re-watch videos of strategic and clutch plays. Likewise, it worked as a space for the debate and analysis not only of Cuban athletes, but also the rest of competitors.

Unfortunately, that growing, despicable and virtual hatred in social networks, among Cubans, and to a large extent that hatred felt from Cubans abroad towards Cubans within the island, aimed sometimes at sullying the glory and talent of our athletes. But they did not achieve their goals, as medals were won with great effort.

Those who boast to love our people and do not stop crying for an alleged freedom and the collapse of the Cuban “regime,” those individuals were not happy with the spectacular victories of wrestler Mijaín, boxer Julio Cesar la Cruz…And we are not talking about politics, or communism, capitalism, blockade. It was just sport.

They did not acknowledge their victories or Cuba’s. They ignored the Olympic Games in their personal profiles, as if Tokyo2020 never happened. We cannot generalize, not all took that position, there were Cubans abroad who felt proud of the Cuban athletes in Tokyo.

However, there were some who even stated that it was not the time to celebrate any medal, or the performance and victories of Cuban athletes due to the epidemiological situation in Cuba. How many nations have produced an anti-Covid-19 vaccine and controlled the situation to the point that Cuba boasts the lower rate of infected and deceased people in the region?

Those who allegedly wish us well, if true, why did they insist on spoiling the fun to the athletes, mothers, and trainers? Why did they not want to accept strength and training of our Olympic athletes? Why did they not applaud when they were appointed winners? Why did they despise the National Anthem and the glorious 14th place in the Olympics final standing? Why did they want our athletes to lose?

However, on our side, there was a whole nation that woke up at dawn and shared the joy via WhatsApp and Facebook posts. Here, there were neighborhoods motivated and moved by the performance of our sports delegation. We are millions and we feel proud of our athletes and we are all willing to put our hearts into Cuba, for our own sake and the prosperity of the nation.

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz / CubaSí Translation Staff