Cuba at the 2020 Summer Olympics

Cuba competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the Games were postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] The Cuban delegation was their smallest (and first with fewer than 100 athletes) since 1964, which coincidentally was also in Tokyo. It was the nation's twenty-first appearance at the Summer Olympics. Cuba improved on its 2016 result, by winning 7 gold and 15 total medals after 5 and 11 in Rio.

Cuba at the
2020 Summer Olympics
IOC codeCUB
NOCCuban Olympic Committee
in Tokyo, Japan
July 23, 2021 (2021-07-23) – August 8, 2021 (2021-08-08)
Competitors70 in 16 sports
Flag bearers (opening)Yaime Pérez
Mijaín López
Flag bearer (closing)Zurian Hechavarria
Medals
Ranked 14th
Gold
7
Silver
3
Bronze
5
Total
15
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)

Medalists

edit

Competitors

edit

The following is the list of number of competitors participating in the Games:

Sport Men Women Total
Athletics 7 13 20
Boxing 7 0 7
Canoeing 2 2 4
Cycling 0 1 1
Gymnastics 0 1 1
Judo 3 3 6
Modern pentathlon 1 1 2
Rowing 0 1 1
Shooting 3 2 5
Swimming 1 1 2
Table tennis 1 1 2
Taekwondo 1 0 1
Volleyball 0 2 2
Weightlifting 1 3 4
Wrestling 9 3 12
Total 36 34 70

Athletics

edit

Cuban athletes further achieved the entry standards, either by qualifying time or by world ranking, in the following track and field events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event):[2][3]

Key
  • Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
  • Q = Qualified for the next round
  • q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
  • NR = National record
  • N/A = Round not applicable for the event
  • Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round
Track & road events
Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Roxana Gómez Women's 400 m 50.76 =PB 2 Q 49.71 PB 3 q DNF
Rose Mary Almanza Women's 800 m 2:00.71 1 Q 1:59.65 4 Did not advance
Zurian Hechavarría Women's 400 m hurdles 54.99 PB 6 q 55.21 4 Did not advance
Rose Mary Almanza
Sahily Diago
Zurian Hechavarría
Lisneidy Veitía
Women's 4 × 400 m relay 3:24.04 SB 2 Q 3:26.92 8
Field events
Men
Athlete Event Qualification Final
Distance Position Distance Position
Juan Miguel Echevarría Long jump 8.50 SB 1 Q 8.41[a]  
Lester Lescay 7.69 25 Did not advance
Maykel Massó 8.07 7 Q 8.21  
Andy Díaz Triple jump DNS Did not advance
Cristian Nápoles 17.08 SB 4 Q 16.63 10
Luis Zayas High jump 2.17 =26 Did not advance
Women
Athlete Event Qualification Final
Distance Position Distance Position
Leyanis Pérez Triple jump DNS Did not advance
Liadagmis Povea 14.50 5 Q 14.70 5
Davisleydi Velazco 14.14 15 Did not advance
Yarisley Silva Pole vault 4.55 =8 Q 4.50 =8
Denia Caballero Discus throw 57.96 23 Did not advance
Yaime Pérez 63.18 7 q 65.72  
Combined events – Women's heptathlon
Athlete Event 100H HJ SP 200 m LJ JT 800 m Total Rank
Yorgelis Rodríguez Result DNF DNS DNF
Points 0 0

Boxing

edit

Cuba entered seven male boxers to compete in each of the following weight classes into the Olympic tournament. With the cancellation of the 2021 Pan American Qualification Tournament in Buenos Aires, all of them, led by Rio 2016 gold medalists Arlen López (men's light heavyweight) and Julio César La Cruz (men's heavyweight), finished among the top five of their respective weight divisions to secure their places on the Cuban squad based on the IOC's Boxing Task Force Rankings for the Americas.[4]

Athlete Event Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank
Yosvany Veitía Men's flyweight Bye   Tetteh (GHA)
W 5–0
  Yafai (GBR)
L 1–4
Did not advance
Lázaro Álvarez Men's featherweight Bye   Shahbakhsh (IRI)
W RSC-I
  Butdee (THA)
0W 3–2
  Batyrgaziev (ROC)
L 2–3
Did not advance  
Andy Cruz Men's lightweight Bye   L McCormack (GBR)
W 5–0
  Oliveira (BRA)
W 4–1
  Garside (AUS)
W 5–0
  Davis (USA)
W 4–1
 
Roniel Iglesias Men's welterweight Bye   Okazawa (JPN)
W 3–2
  Johnson (USA)
W 5–0
  Zamkovoy (ROC)
W 5–0
  P McCormack (GBR)
W 5–0
 
Arlen López Men's light heavyweight Bye   Houmri (ALG)
W 5–0
  Romero (MEX)
W 5–0
  Alfonso (AZE)
W 5–0
  Whittaker (GBR)
W 4–1
 
Julio César La Cruz Men's heavyweight Bye   Ochola (KEN)
W 5–0
  Reyes (ESP)
W 4–1
  Teixeira (BRA)
W 4–1
  Gadzhimagomedov (ROC)
W 5–0
 
Dainier Peró Men's super heavyweight Bye   Salcedo (COL)
W 5–0
  Torrez (USA)
L 1–4
Did not advance

Canoeing

edit

Sprint

edit

Cuban canoeists qualified two boats in each of the following distances for the Games through the 2019 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Szeged, Hungary.[5] With the cancellation of the 2021 Pan American Championships, Cuba accepted the invitation from the International Canoe Federation to send a canoeist in the men's C-1 1000 m to the Games.[6]

Athlete Event Heats Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Fernando Jorge Men's C-1 1000 m 4:04.378 1 SF Bye 4:04.725 4 FA 4:13.918 7
José Ramón Pelier 4:06.343 2 SF Bye 4:09.696 6 FB 4:02.915 9
Fernando Jorge
Serguey Torres
Men's C-2 1000 m 3:39.028 2 SF Bye 3:27.102 2 FA 3:24.995  
Yarisleidis Cirilo Women's C-1 200 m 47.267 2 SF Bye 48.375 6 FB 48.582 12
Katherin Nuevo 46.533 2 SF Bye 49.242 8 FB 49.024 16
Yarisleidis Cirilo
Katherin Nuevo
Women's C-2 500 m 2:03.229 3 QF 2:03.282 1 SF 2:03.655 2 FA 2:01.623 6

Qualification Legend: FA = Qualify to final (medal); FB = Qualify to final B (non-medal)

Cycling

edit

Road

edit

Cuba entered one rider to compete in the women's Olympic road race, by virtue of her top 22 national finish (for women) in the UCI World Ranking.[7]

Athlete Event Time Rank
Arlenis Sierra Women's road race 3:59:47 34

Gymnastics

edit

Artistic

edit

Cuba entered one artistic gymnast into the Olympic competition. Rio 2016 Olympian Marcia Videaux finished among the top twenty eligible for qualification in the women's individual all-around and apparatus events, respectively, to book her spot on the Cuban roster at the 2019 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.[8][9]

Women
Athlete Event Qualification Final
Apparatus Total Rank Apparatus Total Rank
V UB BB F V UB BB F
Marcia Videaux Vault 13.499 13.499 16 Did not advance

Judo

edit

Cuba qualified six judoka (three per gender) for each of the following weight classes at the Games. Five of them, with three-time medalist Idalys Ortiz (women's heavyweight, +78 kg) leading the squad at her fourth straight Olympics, were selected among the top 18 judoka of their respective weight classes based on the IJF World Ranking List of June 28, 2021. Meanwhile, Rio 2016 Olympian Magdiel Estrada accepted a continental berth from the Americas as the nation's top-ranked judoka outside of direct qualifying position.[10][11]

Athlete Event Round of 64 Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Repechage Final / BM
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank
Magdiel Estrada Men's −73 kg Bye   Sterpu (MDA)
L 00–10
Did not advance
Iván Felipe Silva Men's −90 kg Bye   Žgank (TUR)
L 00–01
Did not advance
Andy Granda Men's +100 kg   Rakhimov (TJK)
L 00–01
Did not advance
Maylín del Toro Women's –63 kg   Dahouk (EOR)
W 10–00
  Barrios (VEN)
L 00–10
Did not advance
Kaliema Antomarchi Women's –78 kg Bye   Prodan (CRO)
W 01–00
  Malonga (FRA)
L 01–11
Did not advance   Steenhuis (NED)
W 10–00
  Wagner (GER)
L 00–01
5
Idalys Ortiz Women's +78 kg Bye   Nunes (POR)
W 01–00
  Xu Sy (CHN)
W 10–00
  Dicko (FRA)
W 11–00
Bye   Sone (JPN)
L 00–10
 

Modern pentathlon

edit

Cuban athletes qualified for the following spots to compete in modern pentathlon. Lester Ders and Rio 2016 Olympian Leydi Moya secured a selection each in the men's and women's event respectively by virtue of their top-five finish at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima.[12]

Athlete Event Fencing
(épée one touch)
Swimming
(200 m freestyle)
Riding
(show jumping)
Combined: shooting/running
(10 m air pistol)/(3200 m)
Total points Final rank
RR BR Rank MP points Time Rank MP points Penalties Rank MP points Time Rank MP points
Lester Ders Men's 10–25 0 34 160 2:01.45 15 308 EL 33 0 11:46.41 28 594 1062 36
Leydi Moya Women's 15–20 1 26 191 2:17.96 29 275 9 15 291 13:16.65 30 504 1261 26

Rowing

edit

Cuba qualified one boat in the women's single sculls for the Games by finishing fourth in the A-final and securing the fourth of five berths available at the 2021 FISA Americas Olympic Qualification Regatta in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[13]

Athlete Event Heats Repechage Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Milena Venega Women's single sculls 8:03.00 4 R 8:17.30 1 QF 8:25.26 5 SC/D 7:41.18 3 FC 7:47.40 17

Qualification Legend: FA=Final A (medal); FB=Final B (non-medal); FC=Final C (non-medal); FD=Final D (non-medal); FE=Final E (non-medal); FF=Final F (non-medal); SA/B=Semifinals A/B; SC/D=Semifinals C/D; SE/F=Semifinals E/F; QF=Quarterfinals; R=Repechage

Shooting

edit

Cuban shooters achieved quota places for the following events by virtue of their best finishes at the 2018 ISSF World Championships, the 2019 ISSF World Cup series, the 2019 Pan American Games, and Championships of the Americas, as long as they obtained a minimum qualifying score (MQS) by May 31, 2020.[14]

Athlete Event Qualification Semifinal Final
Points Rank Points Rank Points Rank
Jorge Álvarez Men's 25 m rapid fire pistol 578 12 Did not advance
Jorge Grau Men's 10 m air pistol 574 19 Did not advance
Leuris Pupo Men's 25 m rapid fire pistol 583 5 Q 29  
Eglis Yaima Cruz Women's 10 m air rifle 620.5 37 Did not advance
Women's 50 m rifle 3 positions 1163 23 Did not advance
Laina Pérez Women's 10 m air pistol 567 32 Did not advance
Women's 25 m pistol 582 14 Did not advance
Jorge Grau
Laina Pérez
10 m air pistol team 568 14 Did not advance

Swimming

edit

Cuba received a universality invitation from FINA to send two top-ranked swimmers (one per gender) in their respective individual events to the Olympics, based on the FINA Points System of June 28, 2021.[15]

Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Luis Vega Torres Men's 200 m butterfly 1:59.00 31 Did not advance
Men's 400 m individual medley 4:27.65 29 Did not advance
Elisbet Gámez Women's 200 m freestyle 2:00.56 23 Did not advance

Table tennis

edit

Cuba entered two athletes into the table tennis competition at the Games. Daniela Fonseca scored a second-stage final triumph to notch the last ticket available in the women's singles and then teamed up with her partner and Rio 2016 Olympian Jorge Campos to seal an outright victory and a mixed doubles berth at the 2021 Latin American Qualification Tournament in Rosario, Argentina.[16][17]

Athlete Event Preliminary Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final / BM
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank
Daniela Fonseca Women's singles   Lay (AUS)
L 0–4
Did not advance
Jorge Campos
Daniela Fonseca
Mixed doubles   Franziska /
Solja (GER)
L 0–4
Did not advance

Taekwondo

edit

Cuba entered one athlete into the taekwondo competition at the Games. Rio 2016 Olympian and double world champion Rafael Alba secured a spot in the men's heavyweight category (+80 kg) with a top two finish at the 2020 Pan American Qualification Tournament in San José, Costa Rica.[18]

Athlete Event Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Repechage Final / BM
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank
Rafael Alba Men's +80 kg   Georgievski (MKD)
L 8–11
Did not advance   Gbané (CIV)
W 8–2
  Sun Hy (CHN)
W 5–4
 

Volleyball

edit

Beach

edit

Cuba women's beach volleyball team qualified for the Olympics by winning the gold medal at the 2018–2020 NORCECA Continental Cup Final in Colima, Mexico.[19]

Athlete Event Preliminary round Repechage Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final / BM
Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Rank Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Rank
Lidy Echevarría
Leila Martínez
Women's   Artacho /
Clancy (AUS)
L (15–21, 14–21)
  Kholomina /
Makroguzova (ROC)
L (16–21, 11–21)
  Menegatti /
Orsi Toth (ITA)
W (21–16, 21–16)
3 R   Schoon /
Stam (NED)
W (21–17, 21–17)
  Klineman /
Ross (USA)
L (17–21, 15–21)
Did not advance

Weightlifting

edit

Cuba entered four weightlifters (one man and three women) into the Olympic competition. Rio 2016 Olympian Marina Rodríguez finished seventh of the eight highest-ranked weightlifters in the women's 64 kg category based on the IWF Absolute World Rankings, with rookies Olfides Sáez (men's 96 kg), Ludia Montero (women's 49 kg), and Eyurkenia Pileta (women's +87 kg) topping the field of weightlifters vying for qualification from the Americas in their respective weight categories based on the IWF Absolute Continental Rankings.[20]

Athlete Event Snatch Clean & Jerk Total Rank
Result Rank Result Rank
Olfides Sáez Men's –96 kg 156 11 203 7 359 9
Ludia Montero Women's –49 kg 82 5 96 7 178 6
Marina Rodríguez Women's –64 kg 98 11 123 6 221 8
Eyurkenia Pileta Women's +87 kg 96 10 129 8 225 9

Wrestling

edit

Cuba qualified twelve wrestlers for each of the following classes into the Olympic competition. Two of them finished among the top six to book Olympic spots in the men's Greco-Roman (67 and 130 kg) at the 2019 World Championships, while ten more licenses were awarded to Cuban wrestlers, who progressed to the top two finals at the 2020 Pan American Qualification Tournament in Ottawa, Canada.[21][22]

Key:

  • VT (ranking points: 5–0 or 0–5) – Victory by fall.
  • VB (ranking points: 5–0 or 0–5) – Victory by injury (VF for forfeit, VA for withdrawal or disqualification)
  • PP (ranking points: 3–1 or 1–3) – Decision by points – the loser with technical points.
  • PO (ranking points: 3–0 or 0–3) – Decision by points – the loser without technical points.
  • ST (ranking points: 4–0 or 0–4) – Great superiority – the loser without technical points and a margin of victory of at least 8 (Greco-Roman) or 10 (freestyle) points.
  • SP (ranking points: 4–1 or 1–4) – Technical superiority – the loser with technical points and a margin of victory of at least 8 (Greco-Roman) or 10 (freestyle) points.
Freestyle
Athlete Event Round of 16 Quarterfinal Semifinal Repechage Final / BM
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank
Alejandro Valdés Men's −65 kg   Niyazbekov (KAZ)
L 1–3 PP
Did not advance 11
Geandry Garzón Men's −74 kg   Kadzimahamedau (BLR)
L 1–3 PP
Did not advance   Dake (USA)
L 0–4 ST
Did not advance 9
Reineris Salas Men's −97 kg   Hushtyn (BLR)
W 3–1 PP
  Nurov (MKD)
W 3–1 PP
  Sadulaev (ROC)
L 0–3 PO
Bye   Sharifov (AZE)
W 3–1 PP
 
Yusneylys Guzmán Women's −50 kg   Sun Yn (CHN)
L 1–3 PP
Did not advance   Livach (UKR)
L 0–5 VT
Did not advance 12
Laura Hérin Women's −53 kg   Pang Qy (CHN)
L 1–3 PP
Did not advance   Winchester (USA)
L 0–3 PP
Did not advance 15
Yudaris Sánchez Women's −68 kg   Zhou F (CHN)
L 1–3 PP
Did not advance 12
Greco-Roman
Athlete Event Round of 16 Quarterfinal Semifinal Repechage Final / BM
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank
Luis Orta Men's −60 kg   Hafizov (USA)
W 3–0 PO
  Emelin (ROC)
W 3–1 PP
  Ciobanu (MDA)
W 4–0 ST
Bye   Fumita (JPN)
W 3–1 PP
 
Ismael Borrero Men's −67 kg   Zoidze (GEO)
L 1–3 PP
Did not advance 11
Yosvanys Peña Men's −77 kg   Ali Geraei (IRI)
L 1–3 PP
Did not advance 10
Daniel Grégorich Men's −87 kg   Abbasov (AZE)
W 3–1 PP
  Metwally (EGY)
L 0–5 VT
Did not advance 9
Gabriel Rosillo Men's −97 kg   Savolainen (FIN)
L 1–3 PP
Did not advance 13
Mijaín López Men's −130 kg   Alexuc-Ciurariu (ROU)
W 4–0 ST
  Mirzazadeh (IRI)
W 4–0 ST
  Kayaalp (TUR)
W 3–0 PO
Bye   Kajaia (GEO)
W 3–0 PO
 

See also

edit

Notes and references

edit
  1. ^ Echevarría tied for gold with Greece's Miltiadis Tentoglou, but was awarded a silver in the tie-breaker (second best jump).
  1. ^ "Joint Statement from the International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee". Olympics. 24 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  2. ^ "iaaf.org – Top Lists". IAAF. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  3. ^ "IAAF Games of the XXXII Olympiad – Tokyo 2020 Entry Standards" (PDF). IAAF. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  4. ^ "Boxeo cubano irá a Tokio por cuatro títulos, afirma Julio César La Cruz" [Cuban boxers aim for four titles in Tokyo according to Julio Cesár La Cruz] (in Spanish). Radio Cadena Agramonte. 25 May 2021. Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  5. ^ "First round of Olympic canoe sprint quotas allocated". International Canoe Federation. 30 August 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  6. ^ "Mexico to make Olympic slalom debut after quota allocations". International Canoe Federation. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Athletes' quotas for Road Cycling events at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games". UCI. 18 November 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  8. ^ "Artistic Gymnastics World Championships 2019: Day 4 - as it happened". Olympic Channel. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  9. ^ "Gimnastas cubanos clasifican para Tokio 2020" [Cuban gymnasts qualified for Tokyo 2020] (in Spanish). On Cuba News. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  10. ^ Messner, Nicolas (22 June 2021). "Tokyo 2020: Official Olympic Qualification List". International Judo Federation. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Tokio 2020: Listo el camino para los judocas cubanos" [Tokyo 2020: Cuban judoka are ready to compete] (in Spanish). Cubadebate.cu. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Cubans make history in Lima 2019 modern pentathlon tournament". Cuban News Agency. 31 July 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  13. ^ "Americas Qualification Regatta Completed Ahead of Schedule". International Rowing Federation. 6 March 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Quota Places by Nation and Number". www.issf-sports.org/. ISSF. 1 January 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  15. ^ "Tokyo Olympics Entry Lists Released, Swimming Begins July 24". Swimming World Magazine. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  16. ^ "Unforgettable day for Alberto Miño, Gaston Alto and Daniela Fonseca Carrazana". ITTF. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  17. ^ "Cuba celebrates as Jorge Campos and Daniela Fonseca Carrazana seal Tokyo qualification". ITTF. 18 April 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  18. ^ "Day 1 of Pan Am Olympic Qualification Tournament for Tokyo 2020 concludes in Costa Rica". World Taekwondo. 11 March 2020. Archived from the original on 14 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  19. ^ "Argentina, China, Cuba And Kenya Take Olympic Berths". FIVB. 27 June 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  20. ^ "IWF Reallocated All Quotas of Member Federations with Multiple ADRVs". International Weightlifting Federation. 6 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  21. ^ Marantz, Ken (15 September 2019). "Olympic Champ Borrero Survives 'Bracket of Death' to Make 67kg Semis, Secure Tokyo 2020 Spot". United World Wrestling. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  22. ^ Grégorio, Taylor (14 March 2020). "Cuba Qualifies All Categories in Greco-Roman Style for the Olympic Games". United World Wrestling. Retrieved 14 March 2020.