Cuban judokas arrive in Rio for the Olympics

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, Aug 4 (acn) Led by Idalis Ortiz and Asley Gonzalez, eight of the nine Cuban judokas qualified for the 31st Olympic Games will arrive today in this city, after completing a training base in Salvador de Bahia.

Judo is listed among the sports with greater chances of winning medals for Cuba, mainly through Ortiz, London 2012 Olympic champion and world champion in Rio de Janeiro 2013 and Cheliabinsk 2014, in the more than 78 kilograms division.
The sportswoman from the province of Artemisa told ACN that her dream is to become double Olympic queen, for which she has trained very well.
Gonzalez (90 kilos), silver medalist in London 2012 and world monarch in Rio, should also win a medal to the Caribbean island, which intends to be among the top 20 countries in the standings and improve its performance of the previous edition.
Justo Noda, Cuban judo head coach, and Dr. Uvelino Moreno reiterated the excellent sport and psychological shape of Gonzalez, who is recovered from the shoulder injury that took him into surgery and also prevented him from participating in competitions during training.
Others with good possibilities are Jose Armenteros (100), universal runner-up two years ago, and Yalennis Castillo (78), Beijing 2008 Olympic silver medalist.
The list is completed by Maricet Espinosa (63), Magdiel Estrada (73), Ivan Silva (81) and Alex Garcia (+100), plus Dayaris Mestre (48), who traveled to Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, taking into consideration she will debut on Saturday in the first day of the judo tournament.
Surely, judo athletes will have an important role in the medal standings for Cuba.
The judo tournament, to be held from August 6 to 12 in the Arena Carioca, will have the draw of the 14 Olympic divisions next Saturday.