This Wednesday, Erislandy Álvarez gave Cuba its only boxing gold medal in these Olympic Games after defeating Frenchman Sofiane Oumiha in the -63.5 kg finale. The Cuban started with authority, winning 5-0 in the first round, but Oumiha recovered and won 3-2 in the second round, so the fight was decided in the last round. "The Viking" spoke to the press after his victory.

What are your impressions after becoming champion, as you had promised?

Erislandy Álvarez: First of all, I want to thank God and dedicate that medal to my grandmother, may she rest in peace, who died on the day I qualified in Thailand for these Olympic Games. I want to dedicate that great fight to her.

How did you experience this fight? It was a fight in which both of them went out to give their all.

Erislandy Álvarez: Yes, he was a tough opponent, he beat me at the 2023 World Championships, and in 2024 a year and a half passed and there was a lot of change in me and I had great positive thinking. I just went out to give it my all, to enjoy, to dance, to put on a show.

What was the difference between this fight and the other one?

Erislandy Álvarez: A lot, a lot of difference. In the other one I was a rookie, for the first time I was in a final, this is the third time I've been in a final. I always stayed with the silver medal. I can't take the silver anymore, I need to win that gold medal, which is what I want, which is what I want for the Cubans. And we have it.

Fighting here at Roland Garros, what did it mean? All the people, the energy, a mythical stage of the sport.

Erislandy Álvarez: I didn't know that this was one of the biggest tennis stages in the world. And [when I found out] I was like, wow. And well, I'm here now, and now I'm going to put on a show for the people, for the people of France, so that they see that Cuba is here, and that what we Cubans do is dance, have fun and enjoy the fight.

What does the Viking has to say to Cienfuegos?

Erislandy Álvarez: I think they are celebrating now in Cienfuegos, Cuba is celebrating. I think they are celebrating.

Was the idea of fighting so aggressively from the first round a planned strategy?

Erislandy Álvarez: The strategy was always to be smart and aggressive. I was winning the first round, but when they said 5-0 I thought I was down on the score. We went out in the second round to give it our all and they told me 3-2, and I thought I had won. I said to myself, well, in the last round I have to go all out. So everything was backwards!