Best athletes of 2011

Aliet Arzola Lima

THE notable performance of the Cuban delegation at the Guadalajara Pan American Games, as well as outstanding results in world events made the selection of the country’s Best Athletes of the Year a huge problem.

Boxer Julio César La Cruz and discus thrower Yarelis Barrios took first prize in individual sports, according to the results of a survey organized by the National Sports Institute (INDER) and the Union of Cuban Journalists Sportswriters’ Circle. There was no objection to awarding La Cruz, from Camagüey, king of six out of eight tournaments, with 29 wins in 31 bouts in the ring, nor Barrios from Pinar del Río, world bronze medalist and Pan American record holder.

Volleyball took the collective prizes. Wilfredo León and Yoana Palacio were the leading lights of their teams, and took the awards, while Best Team went to the men’s, directed by Orlando Samuels. Boxing had its hoped-for return to the top among individual disciplines, with 67 medals in international events and a harvest in the Pan Americans (eight golds out of nine possible), while athletics merited a special mention, given brilliant performances in Guadalajara which reaped 18 medals.

The distinction of Rookie of the Year went to boxer Lázaro Alvarez, world and Pan American champion, while Erick Hernández was once again Most Outstanding Athlete in special activities, with his records in ball handling.

In an equally notable year for Para Sports, nobody is disputing the place of honor given to sprinter Yunidis Castillo, who holds two international titles, while Omara Durand and Luis Felipe Gutiérrez received mentions, also in athletics, together with swimmer Lorenzo Pérez, all multi-medalists in Guadalajara.

In the juvenile category, judoka José A. Armenteros and 100-meter sprinter Yusleidis Mendieta, world title holders in their categories, took first place.

No less outstanding were the prizes for William Rosquet and Danil Gilbert, in international and national refereeing respectively, and Jorge Luis Kim Jesús Suárez Gayol, Massagué, from the Jesús Suárez Gayol Elementary School in Camagüey, was best Physical Education teacher.

All these athletes will have their recognition, as well as the Pan American medalists, plus sports personnel and trainers at the grass roots level, who sustain the national sports movement.

Lázaro Borges (Athletics), Mijaín López Núñez (Wrestling), Idalis Ortiz (Judo), Hanser García (Swimming), Asley González (Judo), Dayron Robles (Athletics), Lisandra Guerra (Cycling), Robelis Despaigne (Tae kwon do), Leinier Domínguez (Chess), Leonel Suárez (Athletics). Special mentions went to Pan American title holders and world medalists Yasniel Toledo (Boxing), Pedro Isaac (Wrestling), Yoelmis Hernández (Weightlifting), Guillermo Martínez (Athletics) and Liván López (Wrestling).

Lázaro Fundora (Volleyball), Yordan Bisset (Volleyball), Joan Miguel Moncada (Baseball), Yorgelis Rodríguez (Athletics), César Rafael Arocha (Basque Pelota), Niurkys Moras (Handball), Rosalía Vázquez (Athletics), Raiza Beltrán (Handball), Ismaray Armenteros (Athletics), Hugo Franco (Archery).

Lázaro Borges.   Idalis Ortíz.          Hanser García   Asley González .   Dayron Robles .   Lisandra Guerra .                     Robelis Despaigne .   Leinier Domínguez   Leonel Suárez .   Mijaín López Núñez.