APP GRATIS

Olympic king Luis Orta wins gold in Budapest surrounded by "controversy".

The Cuban Greco-Roman wrestler was losing 5-7 when his opponent decided to turn his back, wasting several seconds on the scoreboard. Orta did not hesitate to pursue him and managed a four-point throw to seal the victory.


The Cuban Olympic monarch Luis Orta celebrated the gold medal at the Memorial Polyak Imre y Varga Janos in Budapest, Hungary, although one of his offensive actions has caused a stir among wrestling fans.

With a full of successes in his four appearances in the 67-kilogram division of Greco-Roman style, Orta once again showcased the qualities that credit him as a strong contender for the title at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The world and Pan American champion made his debut against the local David Mihaly Manyik and did not care about the support of the audience, as he won by technical superiority of 8-0. Then, in the quarterfinals, he defeated the Japanese Kyotaro Sogabe by 7-1, the champion of his country last year and the third in the world in the under-23 category in 2022.

Already anchored in the semi-finals, he faced the challenging Iranian Saeid Morad Gholi Esmaeili Leivesi, universal leader in the under-20 category at 60 kilos two seasons ago. The first segment saw misjudgments from the main referee and forced the Cuban to step up in the decisive period.

However, the opponent managed to take the lead in the fight and was winning 7-5 with just a few seconds left when he decided to turn his back on Orta, who did not hesitate to take advantage and achieve a four-point throw to seal the victory.

The Cuban's action has divided opinions on social media, as some think he did the right thing by sticking to the regulations of the game, while others question the "fair play."

The truth is that the Antillean left no room for doubt in the dispute for the crown, after defeating the Georgian Leri Abuladze 4-0, the 63 kg world leader in 2023 and qualified for Paris.

According to the official JIT website, the other Cuban on the mat this Sunday was Yosvanys Peña, who claimed the bronze medal in the 77-kilogram category, while Gabriel Rosillo (97) and the star Mijaín López (130), four-time Olympic champion, did not compete due to technical decision.

All those mentioned, along with Kevin de Armas, make up the Cuban Greco-Roman team for the competition under the five rings, which will take place from July 26 to August 11. Cuba aims to win five gold medals and finish among the top 25 nations in the standings.

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