Athletes Back Home from Pan-Am Games Toronto 2015

Jose Ramon Fernandez, president of the Cuban Olympic Committee (COC), welcomed Monday afternoon the last group of Cuban athletes that took part in the XVII Pan-American Games Toronto 2015 held in Canada.

 

The Greco-Roman style wrestler Mijail Lopez and heptathlonist Yorgelis Rodriguez were the first ones to get off the plane, who descended the stairs with their gold medals and the national flag.

In ceremony at Terminal 5 of the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana, Fernandez sent the athletes the gratitude of the Cuban people for the successes achieved in the great continental lid in the Canadian city.

“We welcome you for what you are, winning patriots often in unequal struggles waged during these two weeks in Toronto,” said the Cuban sports official, who also referred to the sometimes difficult conditions faced by competitors of the Caribbean nation.

Thus, welcome to the Homeland, dear athletes, welcome to the people that love you and receive you with full affection because they are aware of how much effort you delivered in all this work, said the Cuban sports official.

Fernandez listed the members of the delegation major athletic events developed in Cuba during their stay in Toronto, with emphasis on the X Congress of the Young Communist League and the 62nd Anniversary of the Assault on the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Cespedes barracks.

Meanwhile, Yorgelis Rodriguez thanked the people on behalf of his colleagues for their support in the performances of Cuban athletes in the Canadian city.

At the event, members of the latter group, which included executives of the delegation, were given the Medal of Dignity.

Cuba closed its performance in Toronto 2015 in 4th place by countries, after the United States (102-78-81), Canada (77-68-69) and Brazil (41-39-60), respectively.