Oscar Pino will always remember August 22^nd, 2017 as the day that Greco-Roman wrestling smiled upon him. He won in Paris a Bronze Medal in the World Championship for Adults. His win was an example of gratitude to Héctor Milián and Mijaín López, their predecessors among the Cuban super heavyweights.

Still in shock for being chosen the best Cuban athlete in wrestling in the year, and among the 10 sportsmen from Cuba in the selection of federative and expert, Pino agreed to talk to Cubasí:

Your division has a long history, how do you evaluate this first experience in the world championship with a medal won?

"I had the chance to have both of them next to the wrestling mattress. Milián was supporting the group of coaches, with notorious influence and very aware of the details. I trained with Mijaín for a while on the mattress. With those tutors, Raúl Trujillo and Mario Olivera, the training could not be less than excellent. Before the World Championship I felt sure. I commented to Trujillo that would win a medal and I told him that again when I was on the weight."

This weight category technically becomes complex when moving. Taking that into account, what is Oscar Pino main resource?

"As fighter, since I began in the EIDE School, I always watched Mijaín’s matches, he was already an established elite wrestler and I have been devoted to take all what’s positive in his system. Then when I entered the national pre-selection I kept the learning process. I especially mimic his pulling on the standing combat, move aside and defend myself, also tricks when performing the unbalancing of opponents and closing the grips, because he is unquestionably number one doing that. Those are the keys of my system: intensity standing, I study the opponents, constantly on the offensive with pulls and putting my arm on the inside, controlling the fights…"

Which was the most difficult combat in the World Championship? Do you have a formula to gain weight?

"In the World Championship of Paris I fought weighing 123 kg. We won match by match, with a technical-tactical strategy for each competitor. Many of them were already known to me, like the Hungarian I was pitted on the first combat, a difficult opponent. Winning on the first match gave me confidence. Now I weight 127 kg. The preparation we have developed after the World Championship has aimed at that among other elements. The combination of work-rest, an extra diet with carbohydrates and other energy meals.

Now I seek adaptation, but that doesn’t mean to diminish speed, I have to work on the intensity and endurance of strength on the second rounds, but overall I feel fine."

Oscar lives in the capital, the only medal winner in the Championship of Paris, and one of the three of our retinue, currently occupies the third position in the world ranking, following the Turkish Ryza Kaayalp and the Estonian Heiki Nabi, two very well-known to Cubans and who lost to Mijaín in the global balance of matches. By the way, position four is occupied by Yasmani Acosta, from Matanzas province equally trained by Mijaín and who also won a bronze medal in Paris, but he fought representing Chile, a fact we still have to live with.

Anyway, Mijaín has expressed his intentions of winning his fourth Olympic medal in Tokyo 2020. Three years left to see what will happen. Meanwhile, Pino will continue growing, and the idol from Herradura will have on the mattress a talented relief who will contribute youth, will and drive in each session on the "arena".

Cubasi Translation Staff / Amilkal Labañino Valdés