Cuban judo had a historic day on Monday at the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games Santo Domingo 2026: Iván Silva won gold in the 100 kg category and Andy Granda triumphed in the +100 kg category, achieving a golden double that reaffirms Cuba's dominance on the regional tatami.
Silva, a native of Colón, Matanzas, defeated the Colombian Francisco Balanta in the final by wazari to secure his third Central American and Caribbean title, his fourth medal in these events —adding a silver from Veracruz 2014— and his first medal in the 100 kg division, having achieved podium finishes in three different weight categories before this.
"Finally, that third Central American title arrives, the fourth medal at this event. It was a challenge, a new division. I have achieved medals in three different divisions at the Central American Games," Silva stated in an interview with Radio Rebelde after the competition.
The result had a special taste: Balanta had defeated him in the previous qualifier, although Silva had already beaten him in the Pan American Championship. The rematch came with a clear strategy, agreed upon in advance with his coaching staff. “From the beginning, it was the tactic we had discussed with the coaches. They aimed for more points and then controlled the fight, managing the tactical aspect without taking too many risks,” explained the judoka from Matanzas.
Silva also highlighted his recovery from a shoulder injury that kept him away from competition for an extended period. "Thank God I have recovered really well, thanks especially to Doctor Tarragona, who is here with us at the Games, and that is crucial for me to be able to compete again and be at the highest level winning titles," he stated.
The champion is now aiming for an Olympic medal and believes that his speed—his natural advantage over larger rivals—will be his main weapon. "I rely on my speed; I have two lower divisions, I’m a bit faster than the 100-kilogram athletes. But I need to continue to gain strength and keep improving my tactics," he acknowledged.
For his part, Andy Granda, world judo champion in the +100 kg category at Tashkent 2022 and two-time Pan American champion, completed the double by defeating the Dominican José Nova Alcántara by ippon in the +100 kg final, as reported by Prensa Latina. The victory against the local athlete, in a venue filled with Dominican supporters, solidified his status as the undisputed reference in the category in the region.
Granda achieves this title after becoming the Pan American champion in Santiago, Chile 2025 and winning the Central American cups in Panama and Guatemala in 2026, although in Paris 2024 he fell short of an Olympic medal after losing the match for bronze.
The event also included the bronze medal from Dayanara Curbelo (+78 kg), who is only 20 years old, in her debut at these competitions. The young judoka, a junior Pan American champion, defeated Izayana Marenco from Nicaragua for third place. "I am very, very, very happy with my bronze medal, my first Central American Games," Curbelo expressed, who already has direct qualification for the Pan American Games.
With these results, Cuba was in third place in the overall medal standings for Santo Domingo 2026 with six golds, two silvers, and six bronzes, totaling 14 medals, largely driven by judo, which added five gold medals in a single day this Monday.
Silva, reflecting on the generational transition, conveyed a message of confidence in the future: "Some of the young athletes coming up, I believe the future is in good hands when Andy and I finish competing actively. I think they are very talented, with great potential."
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