The first Cuban women to step onto the mats at the Pan American Wrestling Championships in Acapulco 2024 in Mexico have dropped out of the quarter-finals.
The reigning champion of the Pan American Games in the 50 kg, Yusneylys Guzmán, did not show up for her first fight against Canadian Katie Ann Dutcha, clearly due to strategic decisions in view of the pre-Olympic tournament coming up in the same venue.
In the 57kg, Ángela Álvarez beat Bertha Rojas of Mexico 11-0 in the qualifying round, before losing in the quarter-finals by a 1-11 margin to Ecuador’s Luisa Elizabeth Valverde Melendres.
Maria Fernanda Santana had a similar transit in the 62 kg, as she debuted with an 11-0 success over Carina Giangeruso of Puerto Rico and lost 0-5 to Brazil’s Lais Nunes. At 68 kg, Brenda Sterling lost 4-2 to Mexico’s Alejandra Rivera.
Two other Cubans are entered in the competition: Laura Herin in the 53 kg and Milaymis Marín Potrillé in the 76 kg, the latter having qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games since last year’s world competition.
So, Cuba will be looking for five tickets in Acapulco through Guzmán, Herin, Ángela, María Fernanda and Brenda. To qualify for the five-hoop event, they will have to reach the final.
