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Cuba achieved two bronze medals this Sunday at the Grand Slam in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, thanks to the performances of the acclaimed judokas Iván Felipe Silva (100 kg) and Andy Granda (+100 kg).
Standing on the award podium is particularly significant considering that they were the only representatives from Latin America to receive awards, according to information from the agency Prensa Latina.
Silva, who had previously finished third at the Grand Slam in Paris in February, defeated the Tajik Dzhakhongir Madzhidov in the bronze medal match.
Previously, he had defeated the Chinese Yijie Shen and the Uzbek Ernazar Sarsenbaev, both by Ippon, but he lost in the semifinals to the Russian Matvey Kanikovskiy, who became the champion of the category.
For his part, Granda, the world champion at this same venue in 2022, debuted with a victory over the Tajik Mansur Rahmon in the quarterfinals, but was defeated in the semifinals by the Russian Denis Batchaev. In the battle for third place, the Cuban triumphed over the Estonian Marek-Adrian Masak.
The news comes as a relief for the island's judo, as the results in recent years have been quite far from those achieved when, for example, the national women's team was one of the best in the world and was led by the late coach Ronaldo Veitía.
In fact, the island left without medals in this discipline at the recent Paris 2024 Games. It is worth noting that Cuban judo had been present on the Olympic podium in every summer edition since Montreal 1976, with the exception of Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988, when there were no delegations.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cuban Judokas at the Tashkent Grand Slam
What achievements did the Cuban judokas attain at the 2025 Tashkent Grand Slam?
Cuban judokas Iván Felipe Silva and Andy Granda won bronze medals at the Tashkent Grand Slam 2025. Silva competed in the 100 kg category, while Granda fought in the +100 kg category. Both successfully made it to the podium, standing out as the only representatives from Latin America to win awards at this event.
How did Iván Felipe Silva perform at the Grand Slam in Tashkent?
Iván Felipe Silva won the bronze medal by defeating the Tajik Dzhakhongir Madzhidov. During the tournament, Silva also defeated the Chinese Yijie Shen and the Uzbek Ernazar Sarsenbaev, both by Ippon. However, he lost in the semifinals to the Russian Matvey Kanikovskiy, who was crowned champion in his category.
What was Andy Granda's performance like at the Grand Slam in Tashkent?
Andy Granda, who was world champion in 2022, secured the bronze medal by defeating the Estonian Marek-Adrian Masak in the battle for third place. In his journey, Granda made his debut with a victory over the Tajik Mansur Rahmon in the quarter-finals, but was defeated in the semi-finals by the Russian Denis Batchaev.
How is Cuban judo doing currently?
Cuban judo has faced difficulties in recent years, evident in the absence of medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the decline since the times when the women's team was one of the best in the world. Despite these challenges, the recent achievements at the Tashkent Grand Slam are a relief for the sport on the island.
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