Cuba Wins 2011 Pan Am Judo Championships

Cuba Wins 2011 Pan Am Judo ChampionshipsHavana, Apr 4. -Cuba ratified its participation in judo in the coming 16th Pan American Games Guadalajara 2011 after winning the 2011 Pan American Judo Championships, which was held in Guadalajara, Mexico, last April 1-2.

The pupils of professors Ronaldo Veitia and Justo Noda went to that competition to qualify for the Pan American Games. They were the first toqualify, achieving 8 gold medals, two silver and three bonzes, followed by Brazil (4 gold, 5 silver and 5 bronzes) and the U.S.A (1-2-5).

On Friday Onix Cortes (70 kg) Yaritza Abel (70 kg), Idalis Ortiz (+78 kg), Asley Gonzalez (90), Oreidis Despaigne (100), and Oscar Braison (+100) achieved the first gold medals for Cuba.

The same day, Yalennis Castillo (78 kg) got the bronze medal, and , Osmay Cruz (81 kg) finished fifth.

The Cubans got 6 gold medals and 1 bronze and on Saturday they added two gold, two silver and two bronzes.

The gold winners on Saturday were Cubans Yanet Bermoy (52kg) and Yurisleidis Lupetey (57 kg), who defeated in the final Haitian Linouse Desravine by Ippon, and U.S Marti Malloy by Wazari respectively.

The runners-up were Dayaris Mestre (48 kg), who was defeated by Yuko by Argentinean Paula Pareto and Ronald Girones (73 kg), who was defeated by Ippon by Brazilian Bruno Mendonca.

Cubans Angelo Gomez (66 kg) and Antonio Betancourt (60 kg) got bronze after defeating Peruvian Alonso Wong by Yoko and Dominican Wander Mateo respectively.

On Saturday there was a competion in the 44kg and 55 kg divisions, which are not scheduled Pan American Games and these were won by Ecuadorian Diana Cobos and Salvadorian Freddy Lopez.

Cuba and Brazil led the championships by country in the female and male sections. (Prensa Latina)