Havana, Dec. – Triple jump queen Leyanis Pérez and boxer Julio César La Cruz led the selection of Cuba's best athletes for the 2025 season this Tuesday.
Both athletes earned the award for the best individual athletes, female and male respectively. Pérez stood out with a top-level triple jump campaign, dominating both outdoor and indoor world championships as well as the Diamond League; meanwhile, La Cruz secured his 15th national title along with the continental professional boxing championship of the WBA and is the direct contender for the Belt.
In the team category, the duo Noslen Díaz and Jorge Luis Alayo were the most prominent, backed by their performance in the Beach Volleyball World Tour, success at the Norceca stop in Varadero, and victories in the Russian national circuit.
With one gold and two bronze medals at the Tokyo World Championships, athletics received the recognition in individual sports during a season that also included a gold and a silver medal in the indoor competition and leadership at the Junior Pan American Games in Asunción.
Baseball earned the award among teams thanks to the growth of Baseball 5, youth world champions, and the under-15 team, Pan American champions and qualified for the world tournament.
Softball pitcher Yilián Tornes and volleyball player Alayo won in the collective athlete category, while left-handed pitcher Liván Moinelo’s performance in Japanese baseball earned him the event of the year title and best contracted athlete.
The list of top performers of the season included Marifelix Sarria (weightlifting), Erislandy Álvarez (boxing), Lázaro Martínez (athletics), Yarisleidis Cirilo (canoeing), Silinda Morales (athletics), Milaimys de la Caridad Marín (wrestling), Liadagmis Povea (athletics), Alejandro Claro (boxing), Noslen Díaz (beach volleyball), and Arlen López (boxing).
Boxer Lázaro Álvarez, runner Rozana Gómez, and pitcher Raidel Martínez also received special mentions.
As a standout athlete in special sports, multi-ball control record-holder Eric Hernández was selected, with mention for another exponent of the discipline, Jhoen Lefont.
(Information from Prensa Latina)
