Over these first days of August, Cuba has won the most medals thus far during the Tokyo-2020 Olympic Games, a total of seven, including the golds of Mijaín López, with his fourth Olympic crown, Luis Orta, with his first, and the Cuban rowing duo of Serguey Torres and Fernando Dayán, who closed a magical day, giving the Cuban delegation its best day of these Games.
An impressive young Luis Orta, gave another wrestling dissertation to win the title, and not to mention Mijaín López, with a final in which he showed himself to as strong as ever. Congratulating them in a telephone call, Communist Party of Cuba First Secretary and President of the Republic Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez conveyed a message to the delegation: “May we continue to reap victories, with the dignity of our athletes. Cuba is sports, as well.”
In an epic finish, the Cuban rowing duo of Serguey Torres and Fernando Dayán, multiple World Cup champions, won the gold medal in the 1,000-meter tandem canoe (c2-1,000) event, with a time of 3:24.995. They were obliged to battle the Chinese crew, who held the lead for most of the race, and Germany’s duo, the favorites who were fought until the last second.
Veteran Olympian Leuris Pupo won a silver medal, advancing at the last minute to the final, and putting heart into his pistol for his sixth appearance under the five rings. An injured Juan Miguel Echevarría won silver in the long jump, sharing the podium with his teammate Maikel Massó, who took the bronze, as did Yaimé Pérez, in the discus, an event that left the two-time Olympic champion, Croatia’s Sandra Perkovic, without a medal.
Today could be another great day. Boxer Roniel Iglesias is competing for a Tokyo-2020 title, in the 69-kilo division.
(Taken from Granma)