Havana, Dec. 28 - Cuban rowing said goodbye to 2025 with 12 quotas for the Central American and Caribbean Games of Santo Domingo 2026, six in male categories and six in female categories. This result was complemented with three gold medals, four silver, and two bronze in the qualifying tournament for the Dominican multi-sport event.
Held at Lake Petén, Guatemala, rowers won titles on the closing day in the men's coxless four (4x) and double sculls (2x), silver medals in the men's and women's coxless pairs (2-), and bronze in the women's double sculls (2x).
The tally was completed with previously earned medals: one gold, two silver, and one bronze, ensuring the team will also compete in rowing's premier event, the men's and women's coxed eight (8+) — not contested in Guatemala — at the Games, scheduled from July 24 to August 8 next year.
Another competition with Cuban rowing presence in 2025 was the second edition of the Junior Pan American Games in Asunción, Paraguay, where Cuba finished fourth in the medal table with one gold and one bronze. They trailed Chile (8-3-1), Brazil (2-4-4), and Paraguay (1-3-2), while Uruguay (1-0-1) tied with Cuba, followed by Argentina (0-2-0), Canada (0-1-3), and Mexico (0-0-1).
The gold medal came in the men's 4x, consisting of Henry Heredia, Adel Gutiérrez, Leduar Suárez, and Roberto Carlos Paz, who also repeated a podium finish with bronze in the men's 8+ alongside Ronny Álvarez, Keiler Ávila, Robert Fernández, Félix Fernández, and Pedro González.
In the A finals, Claudia Tolon, Leah Almeida, Ana Laura Jiménez, and Natalie Morales finished fifth in the women's 4x, while Roddy Álvarez, Claudia Tolon, Leah Almeida, Henry Heredia, Leduar Suárez, Ana Laura Jiménez, Natalie Morales, Roberto Carlos Paz, and Pedro González placed fifth in the mixed 8+. Paz finished first in the B final, ranking seventh overall.
Seven athletes — five men and two women — attended the Moscow Grand Rowing Regatta by invitation, where strong teams from the United States, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Australia, and Brazil also competed.
Undoubtedly, this was a good preparation for the event in the Paraguayan capital, highlighted by the silver medal earned in the men's 4x with Paz, Suárez, Gutiérrez, and Heredia.
Cuba competed in the men's single sculls (1x), men's 4x, and women's 2x, with González, Ana Laura, and Natalie also participating under coach Joan Manuel Paula.
Taken from the Cuban News Agency (ACN)
