Nelson Pérez
After the dropouts of both Luis Yandder La O and Yadiel Hernandez who were injured a month before, in the United States, in preparation for the Pan American Games, Cuba’s baseball national team, ended the tournament in third place, behind the United States and the champions Canada, who dominated in both Softball and Men’s Baseball.
In cycling- track, Juliana Gaviria of Colombia won the bronze in the women’s sprint. The Colombian Fabian Puerta repeated his Guadalajara medal both in the men’s teams, chasing with the Colombian team, as well as the gold in the men’s keirin, where the Venezuelan Hersony Canelón, number 6 in the World in the UCI ranking, ended with a silver medal.
Guatemala won over the United States (silver) and Venezuela (bronze) and obtained its 4th gold medal in the Games, in horseback riding.
In golf, the Argentinian Tommy Cocha went big with a gold in the men’s category, while the Colombian Marcelo Rozo, ended in second place. The Mexican Margarita Ramos conquered the gold in women’s category while Mariajo Uribe achieved the bronze for Colombia. In the mixed competition, Colombia got the gold.
In women’s trampolines, the Mexican Dafne Navarro obtained the silver, while in the men’s, Ángel Hernández achieved the bronze for the Colombians.
In the men’s modern pentathlon, Jose Figueroa of Cuba won the gold medal.
Puerto Rico took medals in 2 of 5 categories in sailing, Peru won one of those categories.
In taekwondo, women’s 49kg category, two medals were given to the Caribbean, Cuba with the gold and Puerto Rico with the bronze. In men’s 58kg, Mexico, a taekwondo powerhouse, obtained the gold, and two South Americans won the bronze, Argentina and Colombia.
In men’s volleyball, Cuba surprised us all defeating Brazil in 5 sets. Argentina defeated Colombia 3-0, USA eliminated Mexico for 3-1 and the Canadian locals defeated Puerto Rico for 3-1.