The Olympic medalist and multiple Cuban world judo champion,Asley Gonzalez, will debut this Sunday with the colors of his newly acquired Romanian nationality in the Zagreb Grand Prix tournament.
The tournament opens a new three-year Olympic cycle, which will culminate when the Paris 2024 Olympics are held, in which - if he remains among the judo elite - González will be able to try to surpass the silver achieved in London 2012.
The Judo Grand Prix held in the city of Zagreb, Croatia, brings together judokas from 36 countries on four continents. In total, 262 judokas will be in the event, 154 of them men and 108 women, who will compete for the titles in each of the seven divisions that comprise the competition program, in both sexes.
Athletes from the United States and Brazil attend the poster as the only representatives of the American continent. However, under the colors of Romania, one of the most prestigious judokas in the region will be competing, the Cuban Asley González.
Participant in three Summer Olympic Games between 2008 and 2016, Asley González (1989) won the silver medal in the London 2012 edition in the 90 kilogram category. He also won two silver medals at the 2011 and 2015 Pan American Games.
Gold in the 2013 World Championships in Rio de Janeiro and bronze in the 2011 World Championships in France, both in the 90 kilogram category, the Cuban athlete has become the judo star of his new country overnight. Romania, which does not have any world champion among its judokas.
In the last Olympics, Romania did not win any medals and its judokas, Andreea Chitu (52kg), Alexandru Raicu (73kg) and heavyweight Vladut Simionescu, were only able to hold five fights before being eliminated.
At the Zagreb Grand Prix, the Cuban-Romanian champion will debut a new category, the 100 kilo category, for which he has had to gain 10 kilograms from his usual weight in recent competitions.
His last big victory was the Havana Grand Prix where he defeated Krisztian Toth, current Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist. After his debut in this category at the Zagreb Grand Prix, the state of physical fitness and concentration can be seen as he begins a new life in Europe with his sights set on Paris 2024.
A friend of the Romanian judoka, Vlad Visan, former Romanian champion and winner of three World Cup medals, González applied for his new citizenship encouraged by his colleague and protected with the help of the Romanian Judo Federation, according tojudoinside.com.
Through the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Federation made González's request for citizenship, which was resolved by Government Decision. On August 9, Asley González took the oath of allegiance to his new flag.
Born on September 5, 1989, González is married and hopes to bring his family to Bucharest. With the financial support of the state, González will have the opportunity to compete in the IJF World Tour and achieve success for Romania.
Due to their friendship, the former World Champion has been to Romania on many occasions and competed at the European Open in Cluj Napoca, where he won a silver medal in the 90kg category. He also came to train with the team in Oradea where he enjoyed Romanian hospitality and friendship.
“Asley González's goal as a Romanian citizen is to re-enter the international circuit. “He intends to participate in competitions and qualify for the next edition of the Olympic Games, scheduled for the summer of 2024 in Paris,” said the CSM Oradea club, according to the Romanian news agency.Agerpres.
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