Olympic and world boxing champion Emilio Correa Vaillant died Monday in Brazil at the age of 71, his son of the same name reported in a touching message on social networks.
“Unhappily in the early hours of this morning (Monday) Justo Emilio Correa Vaillant has passed away,” posted on Facebook from Brazil his son of the same name and Olympic runner-up in announcing the sad news.
“I am devastated, only the thought of what I did for him calms me. I took care of him, fed him, healed him and loved him more every day. Amen my father. God keep you as he did my mother,” added Correa Jr. in a text addressed to his friends.
A native of Santiago de Cuba, Correa Vaillant was one of the three Cuban boxers who made history in Munich-72, winning the first Olympic gold medals for Cuban boxing.
He was the only one of the three still alive, since a few years ago the legend Teófilo Stevenson and Orlando Martínez died.
The President of the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (Inder) in a message posted on his X account wrote: “It hurts to know that the Olympic, World and Pan American champion Justo Emilio Correa Vaillant, great among the greats of Cuban boxing, has passed away.”
It hurts to know that Olympic, World and Pan American champion Justo Emilio Correa Vaillant, great among the greats of #BoxeoCuban boxing, has passed away. To his son, who made the news public, to the rest of the family, and to his closest friends, our condolences. pic.twitter.com/qVgS5chk7x
– Osvaldo C. Vento Montiller (@CMontiller) March 11, 2024
Also the Cuban Olympic Committee on the social network Facebook posted its condolences for such an unfortunate loss.
Correa Vaillant had been suffering from various health problems in recent times. His son, who cared for him with much love in recent years, took him with him to Brazil, where he was working as a coach.
In addition to the Olympic gold medal in 72, Correa Vaillant was crowned in the first world championship in Havana-74 and in the Pan-American Games in Cali-71.
