Rowing wins third gold for Cuba at Pan American Games

SANTIAGO DE CHILE, Oct 23 (ACN) Rowing today brought the third gold medal for Cuba at the 19th Pan American Games of Santiago de Chile 2023, with the men's coxed eight (M8+), in the Laguna Grande San Pedro de la Paz.

The Cuban gold medalists were Roberto Paz, Luis Jose Leon, Henry Heredia, Francisco Romero, Andrey Barnet, Leduar Suarez, Andrey Ajete, Reidy Cardona and veteran coxswain Juan Carlos Gonzalez, with a time of 5:37.89 minutes.

Cuba's boat remained in the lead during the entire 2,000-meter course, although in the last meters the crew from Uruguay (5:38.31) challenged them, followed by Chile (5:38.42).

Cuba also disputed medals in the women's short sculls (W4x) open weight, but Ana Laura Jimenez, Milena Venegas, Natalie Morales and Yariulvis Cobas finished fifth with a time of 6:47.72 minutes.

Roberto Paz, Leduar Suarez, Andrey Ajete and Reidy Cardona finished sixth in the M4x, with a time of 7:23.03 minutes.

The Caribbeans had also planned to participate in the final B of the coxless double (M2-) with Heredia and Leon, but the technical team decided to withdraw them from the event, as both integrated minutes later in the M8+, said Angel Luis Garcia, president and national commissioner, to the Cuban News Agency.

Cuba's other performance today was in the M2x lightweight repechage, with Carlos Rodriguez and Jose Perez (7:11.92), who advanced to the B final, an event that distributes the places from seventh to 12th.