Cuba and Paris 2024: Mijaín is Well Worth a Mass

It’s true, the goal was not met, and no matter what we say, we fell short of our potential.

In order to fulfill the goal set out in Havana (at least four gold medals and a place among the top 20 in the general medal table) it was essential that our strongest bets did not fail, and three of the four planned gold medals didn’t come.

We’ve already addressed the issue of boxers (Julio César La Cruz and Arlen López), but luckily Erislandy Álvarez was the leader of the delegation and saved the honor of our leading sport.

The other gold that slipped away was expected on the neck of wrestler Luis Orta, but he only won the bronze medal. Orta got to the competition in excellent shape, but fell against an opponent whom he had beaten this year in a Ranking Series tournament, but more with cunning than skill on the mat.

The Iranian took note and was  thorough in his preparation that only in his first match against an Algerian of a fairly lower level and against our wrestler he did get any points against, and it’s worth saying that this is very complicated against the wrestler from Havana.

The analysis in the different sports will be done upon the return of the delegation, there may be a generational change in some disciplines, both of athletes and coaches, but it’s evident that in this context the Cuban sport needs much more support, which cannot always be provided in the economic conditions our country undergoes.

But above all, there’s always a giant, and in this case there were two in particular (without lessening the rest who, on the podium or not, gave everything in pursuit of the best possible performance): Erislandy and the exceptional Mijaín López.

Regarding the boxer, I can only add that no one even considered him a member of the Cuban squad, because in his weight class was none other than the world and Olympic multi-medallist Lázaro Álvarez, but he toiled his way from behind, as they say, and did not stop until he knocked down even the best exponent of the host team, the only one who had won everything in the current Olympic cycle, adding up all the divisions.

What more can be said about Mijaín. If ancient Rhodes had its colossus, in Herradura something similar must be put at the entrance, to keep alive the image of the best gladiator of all times.

It was not by chance that even the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, insisted on coming to Champ de Mars Arena to watch that last fight that closed with a flourish the brilliant career of the man from Pinar del Río, and then he had him as a special guest at the closing ceremony.

Even if Cuba had come away empty-handed in everything else, Mijaín is well worth a mass, that is how huge was what he attained.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff