Cuba wins two silver medals in World Championships

Rodríguez from Havana, London 2012 Paralympic Champion, was defeated on this occasion in the 63 kilograms final by Ukrainian Iryna Husieva.

Meanwhile Jiménez, from Sancti Espiritucs, bronze medal winner in London 2012, fought in the 100 kilograms final but was defeated by Adiljan Tulendbaev, from Uzbekistan.

Other notable results were Yordani Fernandez’s bronze medal which she secured in the 100 kilograms category in her first appearance at the Championship, held in the Colorado Springs Olympic Stadium. The remaining Cuban fighters, Paralympic gold medal winners, Isao Cruz (81 kg – Sydney 2000 and Beijing 2008) and Jorge Hierrezuelo (90kg – London 2012) were unable to secure podium positions after finishing in fifth and seventh place respectively.

Cuban Gerardo Rodríguez, took seventh place in the 73 kilograms, earning him and the aforementioned athletes, points to qualify for the Paralympic Games in Río de Janeiro 2016.

They should be able to secure their tickets to Río if they perform well in the Parapan American Games in Toronto 2015, given that they lost the direct pass to the 2016 Olympics which a gold medal would have won them.

In addition to the individual competition, team events also took place, in which Cuba did not participate as all its representatives are visually impaired while the rules stipulate that at least one competitor must by blind. Brazil was crowned champion of the men’s teams and Russia, the women’s.