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The Cuban delegation concluded its participation in the XXV Deaflympics in Tokyo in 30th place among 81 countries, as confirmed by JIT, the official site of the Sports Institute of the island.
The delegation, which the day before paid tribute to the deceased dictator Fidel Castro, obtained three medals —one gold, one silver, and one bronze— in an event characterized by a higher competitive level than in previous editions.
Among Latin American countries, only Mexico surpassed Cuba in the overall medal count, while Venezuela fell behind by not winning any titles in Japan.
A larger delegation and presence in eight finals
Cuba attended the event with 21 athletes across five disciplines, surpassing the number of participants compared to the previous edition, noted the aforementioned media outlet.
The athletes also achieved four fifth places, one seventh, and one eighth place, in addition to qualifying for eight finals: five in athletics, two in wrestling, and one in judo.
Suslaidy Girat, the great Cuban figure
The undisputed star was the sprinter and long jumper Suslaidy Girat, who shone with: gold in long jump, silver in triple jump, and a historic participation in the 4x100 relay, which reached a Deaflympic final for the first time.
With these results, Girat established herself as the most decorated Cuban athlete in unconventional sports at the Olympics, accumulating 13 medals throughout her career.
Other notable results in athletics included: Héctor Daniel Pérez, fifth in discus throw; Angélica Montoya, fifth in heptathlon; and wide participation in judo, wrestling, table tennis, and cycling
In judo, the bronze medal was won by Yadira Ramos at the Budokan Arena in Tokyo. The sport returned to the international stage, albeit without awards, while table tennis, cycling, and judo made a repeat appearance following their debut in Caxias do Sul 2022.
Ukraine, the United States, and Japan dominate the medal table
The overall medal table concluded with Ukraine (32 golds, 39 silvers, 29 bronzes) at the top, followed by the United States (17-7-12) and Japan (16-12-2), in that order.
Cuba, with three medals, maintained its presence and prominence in various sporting events, standing out for the discipline and camaraderie of its athletes.
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