In Asunción 2025: Cuban athletics shines once again

Cuban athletics closed its participation in Asunción with eight gold medals, three silver and two bronze. The team topped the sport’s medal table ahead of Canada (7-7-1) and Colombia (7-4-3). Four years ago in Cali-Valle 2021, Cuba had finished second with a tally of 9-6-3.

This time they managed to hold their ground and add another chapter of triumph to a rich sporting history. It was no easy task. These Games, increasingly competitive, witnessed records fall and nations arriving fully prepared to make this event their central focus. Despite difficulties, setbacks and the absence of several key figures, Cuba once more delivered. Against all odds, the athletes not only secured medals but also preserved the spirit and mystique of a tradition that is felt as much as it is seen.

It deserves recognition, as has often been the case. Athletics has a way of lifting Cuban sport. It always finds a way to inspire belief and bring smiles, and for that, this group must be celebrated.

Certain names will linger in memory: Lisday González in the triple jump, Jocelyn Echazábal in the Under-13, the trio of women simultaneously excelling in the 100-meter hurdles, Oleisys Ferrer’s crown in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, the return to the top in the men’s 110-meter hurdles, and the medals in javelin and discus.

It should be noted that those eight gold medalists have now qualified by right for the 2027 Pan American Games, marking this as a starting point for continued growth and development.

It is true that, placed in context, the marks are not dazzling. Yet the most important takeaway is the path itself, the steady effort to reclaim ground and restore prominence to the king of sports. That recovery must proceed step by step, built on youth, and aimed at restoring Cuba’s stature in the regional arena.

This result reflects not only medals but also resilience in the face of significant challenges and uncertainty. For anyone who follows athletics closely, the meaning is clear.

Of course, there are areas for reflection, beginning with communication, which remains an urgent matter. But for now, applause is due. From the long-overlooked Coloso del Este, under the sun of the Pan American Stadium, where these young men and women trained almost exclusively, Cuba’s athletic legacy endures. That legacy must now be met with greater support, improved conditions, and concrete measures to strengthen a sport that has brought Cuba so much glory.

Cuban athletics, once again, has delivered.