granma.cu - CUBA’S 2012 Outstanding Athletes

Havana. December 13, 2012

CUBA’S 2012 Outstanding Athletes

Enrique Montesinos

OLYMPIC champions Mijaín López, Greco-Roman wrestling, and Idalis Ortiz, Judo, were elected as Cuba’s most outstanding athletes of 2012 in individual sports, winning the majority of votes cast by the Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (INDER) and the Union of Cuban Journalists’ Sports Writers Circle.

Idalis Ortiz
Idalis Ortiz

Mijaín López.

Also announced during a press conference at Havana’s Ciudad Deportiva were the selections of Yunidis Castillo, three-time Paralympic champion as the best athlete in this category and boxer Robeisy Ramírez, also an Olympic gold-medalist, as Rookie of the Year.

Volleyball players Yanelis Santos and Wilfredo León were chosen as the best athletes playing a team sport, while the men’s national volleyball team was honored as the best team. Recognized as the most outstanding disciplines overall were boxing, among individual sports and baseball, among team sports.

During special events, ball handling record holders Erick Hernández and Johen Lefont were honored, while the important award for Best Physical Education Teacher went to Eugenio Antonio Tamayo Hernández, from the Gilberto Barón Elementary School in Yara, Granma province. Referees Sergio Enrique Cabrera Acosta (football) and Ismel Fernández Acosta (volleyball), were recognized as the most outstanding among their international and national peers, respectively.

HONOR ROLL

Female Athlete of the Year in an individual sport: Idalis Ortiz Bocourt, Judo; Male Athlete of the Year in an individual sport: Mijaín López Núñez, Greco-Roman wrestling; Female Athlete of the Year in a team sport: Yanelis Santos Allegne, volleyball; Male Athlete of the Year in a team sport: Wilfredo León Venero, volleyball; Rookie of the Year: Robeisy Eloy Ramírez Carrazana, boxing.

Outstanding team: Men’s Volleyball; Outstanding Individual Sport: Boxing; Outstanding Team Sport: Baseball.

Athletes of the Year: Leuris Pupo Requejo, target shooting; Ronier Iglesias Sotolongo, boxing; Yarisley Silva Rodríguez, athletics; Yanet Bermoy Acosta, Judo; Asley González Montero, Judo; Leonel Suárez Fajardo, athletics; Liván López Azcuy, freestyle wresting; Iván Cámbar Rodríguez, weight-lifting; Robelis Despaigne Saguet, tae kwon do; Hánser García Hernández, swimming; Lázaro Álvarez Estrada, boxing; Yasniel Toledo López, boxing; Yarelis Barrios Castañeda, athletics.