Three Cuban Athletes Escape During the Pan American Wrestling Championship

Amanda Hernández left the delegation of the Cuban team in Mexico. (SwingCompleto)

14ymedio bigger14ymedio, Havana, 8 May 2022 — The withdrawals of Cuban athletes Ismael Borrero, Leonardo Herrera and Amanda Hernández between May 3rd and 7th mark the performance of the delegation that is participating in the Pan American Wrestling Championship, which takes place in Acapulco (Mexico).

The last escape was this Saturday and the 24-year-old from Pinar del Río starred in it. An action that was branded by the official press as “serious indiscipline.” The young woman did not show up for her commitment to Colombian Sandy Yalixa Parra in the 53-kilogram category. “Sources from coach Daniel Gómez confirmed her abandonment,” published  SwingCompleto.

Hernández, who in his most recent departure from the Island, in 2018, had achieved seventh place in the Ivan Yariguin Russian tournament, organized by United World Wrestling (UWW), also participated in the 2014 Pan American Youth Championship and won a bronze medal in the 2016 edition of this championship.

The sports publication pointed out that so far this year, the exodus of athletes adds up to “more than a dozen” of those who have dared to break ties with Cuba’s National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation.

Of the Cuban delegation that arrived in Mexico on May 3, 15 athletes remain. Just that day it was reported that the Olympic champion and two-time world champion, Ismael Borrero, had separated from the group.

The decision of the man from Santiago was a blow to the regime, which pointed out the indiscipline and said he set aside “the objectives of his team in this fight and in the four-year period towards the Olympic Games in Paris-2024.”

As soon as the news of Borrero’s flight was released, the escape was confirmed of Leonardo Herrera, the athlete who had been chosen to replace the Olympic champion Luis Orta, who is training in the Mexican state of Querétaro as part of his preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The weekly Jit confirmed the three withdrawals as part of its report on the gold medal won by Yaynelis Sanz in the 57-kilogram category and the silver medal won by Hangelen Llanes on Saturday.

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