Second Group of Cuban Athletes Returns from Veracruz Games

HAVANA, Cuba, Nov 24 (acn) Baseball, synchronized swimming, softball and gymnastics athletes returned to Cuba on Sunday after participating in the Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz, Mexico, where they completed an outstanding performance.

Granma newspaper reports that sportsmen were received at José Martí International Airport by Miguel Díaz-Canel, first vice president of the Councils of State and Ministers; José Ramón Fernández, head of the Cuban Olympic Committee and other authorities of the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (INDER by its Spanish acronym).

We went to do the best we could, some won, some not, but everyone's efforts was seen, Alfredo Despaigne, one of baseball players said on behalf of his colleagues and thanked the warm welcome.

Meanwhile, the gymnast Manrique Larduet, one of the multi medal winners in the regional contest, explained that his achievements and that of his sport were thanks to a year of intense preparation.

"I was very confident that medals could be achieved and now I feel proud, because I recovered Cuba's lost gymnastics achievements," Larduet, a native of the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba, stated.

Carlos Rafael Gil, coach of gymnastics, was also grateful for the welcome and very happy with the performance of his pupils, whom, according to him, will seek to maintain the golden trail in Toronto 2015 Pan American Games.