Marlies Mejías opened Cuba's golden tally at the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games by winning the women's individual time trial of 30 kilometers this Saturday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, with a time of 40:15.79 minutes and an average speed of 44.7 km/h.
According to Panam Sports in their official post, the cyclist from Artemisa "set the best time in the Women's Individual Time Trial and claimed the title ahead of Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago."
The silver went to Roel from Mexico, with a time of 40:33.53, and the bronze was awarded to Campbell from Trinidad and Tobago, with a time of 40:59.31.
With this result, Mejías achieves her ninth gold in the Central American and Caribbean Games, making her the first to win in the road time trial event. Radio Rebelde noted that "the athlete from Artemisa secures her 9th title in the Central American and Caribbean Games, her first in this event."
Born on December 29, 1992, in Artemisa, Mejías is one of the most decorated Cuban cyclists in the history of these regional games.
In Veracruz 2014, she won five gold medals — road, individual pursuit, team pursuit, team sprint, and omnium — and in Barranquilla 2018, she added three more titles in scratch, individual pursuit, and team pursuit. She also represented Cuba in the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The Cuban press had identified Mejías as the top contender for the first gold medal for the delegation in Santo Domingo. Radio Rebelde had predicted that the cyclist "could bring the first title to the Cuban delegation" in this specific event, a prediction that was more than fulfilled.
Cuba arrives at these games with a delegation of 504 athletes registered in 42 disciplines, with the official goal of finishing among the top three in the medal standings and winning at least 67 gold medals. In the previous edition, held in San Salvador 2023, the island finished third with 74 golds, 59 silvers, and 63 bronzes.
The gold medal from Mejías in cycling is the boost that the Cuban delegation needed to achieve its ambitious goals in Santo Domingo 2026, where the flag bearers are boxer Leyanis Pérez and pugilist Julio César La Cruz.
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