Cuba: Sancti Spiritus Chooses 2011 Best Athletes

In individual sports the selected athletes were Yumari Gonzalez (cycling) and Serguey Torres (canoeing). Yumari was silver-medalled in Guadalajara Pan American Games and in the ALBA Games.  She finished 6^th in the World Cup.

By Elsa Ramos Ramírez

In individual sports the selected athletes were Yumari Gonzalez (cycling) and Serguey Torres (canoeing); Yuraima Vera (field hockey) and Frederich Cepeda (baseball) were awarded as the best in the collective sports in the recently ended annual meeting of the specialized press and the top representatives from INDER (National Institute for Sports, Physical Education and Recreation) in Sancti Spiritus, central Cuba.

Yumari was silver-medalled in Guadalajara Pan American Games and in the ALBA Games. She finished 6^th in the World Cup. Torres was king in Mexico and 7^th in the World Championship where he got his ticket to London 2012.

Yuraima’s merits includes being regarded among the 2011’s best hockey athletes in Latin America, her participation in the Continental Games, and her key role in Sancti Spiritus team during the national tournament.

Frederich Cepeda was placed among the best batters during the Cuban Baseball Golden Season. He played an important role in the silver medal obtained by the Cuban team in the World Championship and in the bronze attained in the Pan Americans.

Volleyball athlete Osmani Uriarte, third placed in the Junior World Tournament, was declared rookie of the year.

Field hockey turn out to be the team of the year as it was first placed at a national scale; archery was the best individual sport, and baseball, the most outstanding in collective sports.

The 2011 top ten athletes in Sancti Spiritus were: Yosvani Veitia (boxing); Eglys Cruz (shooting); Yuliesky Gourriel and Ismel Jimenez (baseball); Janier Concepcion and Eduardo Rubio (rowing); Maikel Zulueta (kayak); Rolando Cepeda (volleyball); Dayaris Mestre (jodo) and Yeneis Casas (field hockey).

Young athletes were also recognized during the meeting. Rosalia Vazquez and Yasniel Carrero (athletics) were selected as the best, followed by Javier Valdivia, Séfer Ríos, Carlos Sierra and Lourdes Yunielki Gourriel (baseball); Claudia Casañas (wrestling); Luis E. Gutierrez Gomez (wrestling); Yunailis Garcia (cycling); Dariel Garcia (archery); Jorge Luis Ramirez (weightlifting), and Lisdali Ocaña (field hockey).

Among the handicapped atheletes were chosen Yangaline Jimenez, Henrier Rodriguez and Yoandy Ledesma. A special recognition was given to Yoandy Beltrán, winner of one gold medal and three bronzes in the World Championship and in the Special Olympics.

Franklin Suarez was selected as the wrestling’s best international referee, Fernando Zamora as the best national referee in baseball, Daimel Yero (hockey) as the best trainer, Pablo Miguel Suaje (wrestling) as best base coach, and Anael Yumar Mursuli as professor of physical education.