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Habanero through and through, one of those who takes pride in being born in Mantilla, our interviewee today was the first figure in Cuban wrestling at 57 kilograms, in the early years of this century. We are talking about Luis Ibáñez, “Luisitín” to his friends and colleagues.
What is Luisitín doing right now?
Currently, I live in Houston, United States. I work at Miller Piper Yard, which is where the oil pipes are stored. I’m doing very well. This country has opened doors for me, and through hard work, you can achieve your goals. I first worked in Security and then moved to the plants, where I remain, as I am a pipe fitter.
How do you get to the United States?
I was at “Cerro Pelado” between 2003 and 2012, an Olympic year. I already knew what I wanted in my life, and when I attended the Pre-Olympics in Orlando, Florida, I left the delegation along with the 120-kilo freestyle wrestler Disney Rodríguez. That March 22, 2012, is my new date of birth.
Was the decision easy?
Nothing easy turned out to be. Leaving behind family, friends, the neighborhood; leaving behind the place where you were born... nothing easy! But I saw myself in the mirror of great athletes like Yandro Quintana, Ángel Valodia Matos, Wilfredo García, the first two Olympic medalists, and in the conditions in which they live… They and many others, struggling, suffering. No!
Here, in just over a decade, I have my own home, a car, and I help my family in Cuba; my daughter is involved in sports. I am a happy man, especially since my wife and I are looking for a little boy.
When you decided to stay in Orlando, Florida, how did you do it?
I’ll tell you that I left the hotel early in the morning and ran into Disney. He told me that if I was leaving, he was coming with me, and so we said goodbye to the team, not without some sadness. There was London 2012… Which athlete doesn’t dream of competing in the Olympic Games? But, do you want me to tell you something? I have no regrets; on the contrary. I made a decision that has saved my life and that of my loved ones.
When we left the hotel, we headed to another city in Florida, Cape Coral, and from there to a wrestling gym in California, belonging to KASECA, a training facility in the U.S., where they helped me a lot with the paperwork. From there, now with a work permit, I came to work at Miller Piper Yard, which is where the oil pipes are stored.
Your wife was an athlete too. When did she arrive?
Yes, of course, you have interviewed her. She is the former fencer of the national team, Yuleidi Terry Bolaños. She made a long journey from Ecuador and arrived in 2015. It was a swift trip, as she did it in just two weeks.
She currently works alongside me. We have an eight-year-old daughter, Yulia Rosa. She practices gymnastics and has already qualified for a state competition. She is very good—not just because I say so!—especially on the uneven bars.
And, as I mentioned earlier, we are looking for a boy to complete the little pair, although if another girl comes, she will be more than welcome!
Luisitín, have you always been a fighter, always a libertarian?
Ah! My story is long. I got in "through connections" at the EIDE Antonio Maceo in Artemisa, where I stayed for four years, and then went to CEAR "Cardín" for three more. And yes, I always practiced freestyle. I liked it much more. It's broader, more dynamic, and suits my personality better. Arturo Yánez, Jesús Rodríguez, and Francisco "Paquitín" were my coaches, and I have fond memories of them.
While at the CEAR, I attended the Youth World Championship in Turkey 2003 and finished in fifth place. You know, with hardly any experience, I faced the top competitors, but I could have achieved more, I assure you.
In 2003, I enrolled in "Cerro Pelado" and won the Pan American Sports Championship that same year in Guatemala, as well as the editions in 2009 in Venezuela and 2011 in Colombia, while in 2007 I came in second in Rio de Janeiro.
Luis Ibáñez, winner of national championships and international “Cerro Pelado” tournaments, stood atop the podium in the team event at the 2005 World Cup and, years later, secured the individual bronze medal at the 2009 World Cup.
He was preparing to represent his division in the London Olympic Games when he won his "most significant medal."
What is your opinion on the current struggle; do you know how things are at "Cerro Pelado"?
Oh, Julita! That place is as devastated as Ukraine... gray! Aside from the few conditions to have a good training, the food is terrible. There are no limits, no practice. What can I say? That situation makes me very sad, but nothing can be done if there is no change.
Sport, not just wrestling, reflects the country.
Coaches who have helped you the most..
I was lucky on that front: Filiberto Delgado, Arturo Yánez, Juan Caballero, and Bárbaro Morgan.
Greatest fighters of all time in the world…
Look, there's no need to think too much about it. In freestyle wrestling, the Russian Buvaisar Saitiev, a three-time Olympic champion and six-time world champion; while in Greco-Roman wrestling, there is no one else but the Cuban Mijaín López and his five Olympic titles.
Dreams of Luis Ibáñez...
First, let the boy come hahahaha -or the girl- and then, I want to create a combat sports academy, especially for wrestling, for all the children and teenagers in my neighborhood. It's better for them to practice sports rather than go off course. That is my wish, along with my companions Serguei Rondón and Odelis Herrero, former wrestlers of the Cuban national team. We are all family, living in the same city, here in Houston, and we work with the same motivation and goal.
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