Cuba only secured one spot in the world Olympic boxing qualification event held in Bangkok, Thailand, reducing the number of its boxers representing the country in the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games to five.
The last option was reduced to ashes this Saturday when the planetary runner-up Fernando Arzola (over 92 kilograms) fell by split decision (2-3) against the Ecuadorian Gerlon Gilmar Congo, after a controversial ruling by the judges, according to the JIT digital site.
"The decision was considered unfair by the technicians present in the Thai capital, who highlighted Arzola's better finish and the decline of his opponent, deserving of a protective count in the final round," stated the official media of the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education, and Recreation (INDER).
In this way, the largest of the Antilles barely celebrated the qualification of the universal silver medalist Erislandy Álvarez (63.5), as Jorge Cuéllar (71) and Yaquelín Estornell (66) also failed in their attempts.
For the first time in more than five decades, Cuban boxing will attend an Olympic Games with fewer than seven boxers, as before the program on Asian soil, the star boxers Julio César La Cruz (92) and Arlen López (80) had secured spots, as well as the planet's number two Saidel Horta (57 kg) and the third at that level Alejandro Claro (51).
The duo Cruz and López, kings in Rio de Janeiro 2016 and Tokyo 2020, appear among the nation's top golden options in the program under the five rings of the French event, scheduled from July 26 to August 11.
In the Japanese capital, Cuba presented seven boxers from the eight divisions and celebrated four titles and one bronze medal. However, only La Cruz and López from that team will participate again.
And Roniel Iglesias was left out of this cycle, while Andy Cruz left the country two years ago and now competes in professional boxing. Lázaro Álvarez, third in Japanese territory, is not in the coaches' plans, despite recently winning the national tournament.
So far, Cuba has 41 athletes qualified for Paris 2024, after the magnificent performances of sprinters Shainer Reginfo and Reinaldo Espinosa at the Salamanca 2024 Athletics Trophy in Spain.
Both runners surpassed yesterday the minimum mark (10.00) required by World Athletics and placed among the top positions in the world ranking of the 100 meters flat for the current season, an extremely positive news.
With the multi-awarded fighter Mijaín López as its standard-bearer, the INDER aspires to win five gold medals in Paris 2024 and finish among the top 25 nations in the final standings.
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