Cuba at the 2020 Summer Olympics

Cuba competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the Games were postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[1] The Cuban delegation was their smallest (and first with fewer than 100 athletes) since 1964, which coincidentally was also in Tokyo. It was the nation's twenty-first appearance at the Summer Olympics. Cuba improved on its 2016 result, by winning 7 gold and 15 total medals after 5 and 11 in Rio.

Cuba at the 2020 Summer Olympics
IOC code	CUB
NOC	Cuban Olympic Committee
in Tokyo, Japan July 23, 2021 (2021-07-23) – August 8, 2021 (2021-08-08)
Competitors	70 in 16 sports
Flag bearers (opening)	Yaime Pérez Mijaín López
Flag bearer (closing)	Zurian Hechavarria
Medals Ranked 14th	Gold 7 Silver 3 Bronze 5 Total 15
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
1900 1904 1908–1920 1924 1928 1932–1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984–1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024

Medalists

Further information: 2020 Summer Olympics medal table and List of 2020 Summer Olympics medal winners

Medal Name Sport Event Date  Gold Luis Orta Wrestling Men's Greco-Roman 60 kg 2 August  Gold Mijaín López Wrestling Men's Greco-Roman 130 kg 2 August  Gold Fernando Jorge Serguey Torres Canoeing Men's C-2 1000 metres 3 August  Gold Roniel Iglesias Boxing Men's welterweight 3 August  Gold Arlen López Boxing Men's light heavyweight 4 August  Gold Julio César La Cruz Boxing Men's heavyweight 6 August  Gold Andy Cruz Boxing Men's lightweight 8 August  Silver Idalys Ortiz Judo Women's +78 kg 30 July  Silver Juan Miguel Echevarría Athletics Men's long jump 2 August  Silver Leuris Pupo Shooting Men's 25 metre rapid fire pistol 2 August  Bronze Rafael Alba Taekwondo Men's +80 kg 27 July  Bronze Maykel Massó Athletics Men's long jump 2 August  Bronze Yaime Pérez Athletics Women's discus throw 2 August  Bronze Lázaro Álvarez Boxing Men's featherweight 2 August  Bronze Reineris Salas Wrestling Men's freestyle 97 kg 7 August

Medals by sport Sport Total Athletics 0 1 2 3 Boxing 4 0 1 5 Canoeing 1 0 0 1 Judo 0 1 0 1 Shooting 0 1 0 1 Taekwondo 0 0 1 1 Wrestling 2 0 1 3 Total 7 3 5 15

Competitors

The following is the list of number of competitors participating in the Games:

Sport	Men	Women	Total
Athletics	7	13	20
Boxing	7	0	7
Canoeing	2	2	4
Cycling	0	1	1
Gymnastics	0	1	1
Judo	3	3	6
Modern pentathlon	1	1	2
Rowing	0	1	1
Shooting	3	2	5
Swimming	1	1	2
Table tennis	1	1	2
Taekwondo	1	0	1
Volleyball	0	2	2
Weightlifting	1	3	4
Wrestling	9	3	12
Total	36	34	70

Athletics

Main articles: Athletics at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Athletics at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Cuban athletes further achieved the entry standards, either by qualifying time or by world ranking, in the following track and field events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event):^[2][3]

Key

• Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
• Q = Qualified for the next round
• q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
• NR = National record
• N/A = Round not applicable for the event
• Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round

Track & road events

Athlete	Event	Heat		Semifinal		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Roxana Gómez	Women's 400 m	50.76 =PB	2 Q	49.71 PB	3 q	DNF
Rose Mary Almanza	Women's 800 m	2:00.71	1 Q	1:59.65	4	Did not advance
Zurian Hechavarría	Women's 400 m hurdles	54.99 PB	6 q	55.21	4	Did not advance
Rose Mary Almanza Sahily Diago Zurian Hechavarría Lisneidy Veitía	Women's 4 × 400 m relay	3:24.04 SB	2 Q	—		3:26.92	8

Field events

Men

Athlete	Event	Qualification		Final
		Distance	Position	Distance	Position
Juan Miguel Echevarría	Long jump	8.50 SB	1 Q	8.41[a]
Lester Lescay		7.69	25	Did not advance
Maykel Massó		8.07	7 Q	8.21
Andy Díaz	Triple jump	DNS		Did not advance
Cristian Nápoles		17.08 SB	4 Q	16.63	10
Luis Zayas	High jump	2.17	=26	Did not advance

Women

Athlete	Event	Qualification		Final
		Distance	Position	Distance	Position
Leyanis Pérez	Triple jump	DNS		Did not advance
Liadagmis Povea		14.50	5 Q	14.70	5
Davisleydi Velazco		14.14	15	Did not advance
Yarisley Silva	Pole vault	4.55	=8 Q	4.50	=8
Denia Caballero	Discus throw	57.96	23	Did not advance
Yaime Pérez		63.18	7 q	65.72

Combined events – Women's heptathlon

Athlete	Event	100H	HJ	SP	200 m	LJ	JT	800 m	Total	Rank
Yorgelis Rodríguez	Result	DNF	DNS	—	—	—	—	—	DNF
	Points	0	0	—	—	—	—	—

Boxing

Main articles: Boxing at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Boxing at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Cuba entered seven male boxers to compete in each of the following weight classes into the Olympic tournament. With the cancellation of the 2021 Pan American Qualification Tournament in Buenos Aires, all of them, led by Rio 2016 gold medalists Arlen López (men's light heavyweight) and Julio César La Cruz (men's heavyweight), finished among the top five of their respective weight divisions to secure their places on the Cuban squad based on the IOC's Boxing Task Force Rankings for the Americas.^[4]

Athlete	Event	Round of 32	Round of 16	Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Final
		Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Rank
Yosvany Veitía	Men's flyweight	Bye	Tetteh (GHA) W 5–0	Yafai (GBR) L 1–4	Did not advance
Lázaro Álvarez	Men's featherweight	Bye	Shahbakhsh (IRI) W RSC-I	Butdee (THA) 0W 3–2	Batyrgaziev (ROC) L 2–3	Did not advance
Andy Cruz	Men's lightweight	Bye	L McCormack (GBR) W 5–0	Oliveira (BRA) W 4–1	Garside (AUS) W 5–0	Davis (USA) W 4–1
Roniel Iglesias	Men's welterweight	Bye	Okazawa (JPN) W 3–2	Johnson (USA) W 5–0	Zamkovoy (ROC) W 5–0	P McCormack (GBR) W 5–0
Arlen López	Men's light heavyweight	Bye	Houmri (ALG) W 5–0	Romero (MEX) W 5–0	Alfonso (AZE) W 5–0	Whittaker (GBR) W 4–1
Julio César La Cruz	Men's heavyweight	Bye	Ochola (KEN) W 5–0	Reyes (ESP) W 4–1	Teixeira (BRA) W 4–1	Gadzhimagomedov (ROC) W 5–0
Dainier Peró	Men's super heavyweight	Bye	Salcedo (COL) W 5–0	Torrez (USA) L 1–4	Did not advance

Canoeing

Main articles: Canoeing at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Canoeing at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Sprint

Cuban canoeists qualified two boats in each of the following distances for the Games through the 2019 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Szeged, Hungary.^[5] With the cancellation of the 2021 Pan American Championships, Cuba accepted the invitation from the International Canoe Federation to send a canoeist in the men's C-1 1000 m to the Games.^[6]

Athlete	Event	Heats		Quarterfinals		Semifinals		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Fernando Jorge	Men's C-1 1000 m	4:04.378	1 SF	Bye		4:04.725	4 FA	4:13.918	7
José Ramón Pelier		4:06.343	2 SF	Bye		4:09.696	6 FB	4:02.915	9
Fernando Jorge Serguey Torres	Men's C-2 1000 m	3:39.028	2 SF	Bye		3:27.102	2 FA	3:24.995
Yarisleidis Cirilo	Women's C-1 200 m	47.267	2 SF	Bye		48.375	6 FB	48.582	12
Katherin Nuevo		46.533	2 SF	Bye		49.242	8 FB	49.024	16
Yarisleidis Cirilo Katherin Nuevo	Women's C-2 500 m	2:03.229	3 QF	2:03.282	1 SF	2:03.655	2 FA	2:01.623	6

Qualification Legend: FA = Qualify to final (medal); FB = Qualify to final B (non-medal)

Cycling

Main articles: Cycling at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Cycling at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Road

Cuba entered one rider to compete in the women's Olympic road race, by virtue of her top 22 national finish (for women) in the UCI World Ranking.^[7]

Athlete	Event	Time	Rank
Arlenis Sierra	Women's road race	3:59:47	34

Gymnastics

Main articles: Gymnastics at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Gymnastics at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Artistic

Cuba entered one artistic gymnast into the Olympic competition. Rio 2016 Olympian Marcia Videaux finished among the top twenty eligible for qualification in the women's individual all-around and apparatus events, respectively, to book her spot on the Cuban roster at the 2019 World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.^[8][9]

Women

Athlete	Event	Qualification						Final
		Apparatus				Total	Rank	Apparatus				Total	Rank
		V	UB	BB	F			V	UB	BB	F
Marcia Videaux	Vault	13.499	—			13.499	16	Did not advance

Judo

Main articles: Judo at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Judo at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Cuba qualified six judoka (three per gender) for each of the following weight classes at the Games. Five of them, with three-time medalist Idalys Ortiz (women's heavyweight, +78 kg) leading the squad at her fourth straight Olympics, were selected among the top 18 judoka of their respective weight classes based on the IJF World Ranking List of June 28, 2021. Meanwhile, Rio 2016 Olympian Magdiel Estrada accepted a continental berth from the Americas as the nation's top-ranked judoka outside of direct qualifying position.^[10][11]

Athlete	Event	Round of 64	Round of 32	Round of 16	Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Repechage	Final / BM
		Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Rank
Magdiel Estrada	Men's −73 kg	Bye	Sterpu (MDA) L 00–10	Did not advance
Iván Felipe Silva	Men's −90 kg	Bye	Žgank (TUR) L 00–01	Did not advance
Andy Granda	Men's +100 kg	—	Rakhimov (TJK) L 00–01	Did not advance
Maylín del Toro	Women's –63 kg	—	Dahouk (EOR) W 10–00	Barrios (VEN) L 00–10	Did not advance
Kaliema Antomarchi	Women's –78 kg	—	Bye	Prodan (CRO) W 01–00	Malonga (FRA) L 01–11	Did not advance	Steenhuis (NED) W 10–00	Wagner (GER) L 00–01	5
Idalys Ortiz	Women's +78 kg	—	Bye	Nunes (POR) W 01–00	Xu Sy (CHN) W 10–00	Dicko (FRA) W 11–00	Bye	Sone (JPN) L 00–10

Modern pentathlon

Main articles: Modern pentathlon at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Modern pentathlon at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Cuban athletes qualified for the following spots to compete in modern pentathlon. Lester Ders and Rio 2016 Olympian Leydi Moya secured a selection each in the men's and women's event respectively by virtue of their top-five finish at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima.^[12]

Athlete	Event	Fencing (épée one touch)				Swimming (200 m freestyle)			Riding (show jumping)			Combined: shooting/running (10 m air pistol)/(3200 m)			Total points	Final rank
		RR	BR	Rank	MP points	Time	Rank	MP points	Penalties	Rank	MP points	Time	Rank	MP points
Lester Ders	Men's	10–25	0	34	160	2:01.45	15	308	EL	33	0	11:46.41	28	594	1062	36
Leydi Moya	Women's	15–20	1	26	191	2:17.96	29	275	9	15	291	13:16.65	30	504	1261	26

Rowing

Main articles: Rowing at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Rowing at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Cuba qualified one boat in the women's single sculls for the Games by finishing fourth in the A-final and securing the fourth of five berths available at the 2021 FISA Americas Olympic Qualification Regatta in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.^[13]

Athlete	Event	Heats		Repechage		Quarterfinals		Semifinals		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Milena Venega	Women's single sculls	8:03.00	4 R	8:17.30	1 QF	8:25.26	5 SC/D	7:41.18	3 FC	7:47.40	17

Qualification Legend: FA=Final A (medal); FB=Final B (non-medal); FC=Final C (non-medal); FD=Final D (non-medal); FE=Final E (non-medal); FF=Final F (non-medal); SA/B=Semifinals A/B; SC/D=Semifinals C/D; SE/F=Semifinals E/F; QF=Quarterfinals; R=Repechage

Shooting

Main articles: Shooting at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Shooting at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Cuban shooters achieved quota places for the following events by virtue of their best finishes at the 2018 ISSF World Championships, the 2019 ISSF World Cup series, the 2019 Pan American Games, and Championships of the Americas, as long as they obtained a minimum qualifying score (MQS) by May 31, 2020.^[14]

Athlete	Event	Qualification		Semifinal		Final
		Points	Rank	Points	Rank	Points	Rank
Jorge Álvarez	Men's 25 m rapid fire pistol	578	12	—		Did not advance
Jorge Grau	Men's 10 m air pistol	574	19			Did not advance
Leuris Pupo	Men's 25 m rapid fire pistol	583	5 Q			29
Eglis Yaima Cruz	Women's 10 m air rifle	620.5	37			Did not advance
	Women's 50 m rifle 3 positions	1163	23			Did not advance
Laina Pérez	Women's 10 m air pistol	567	32			Did not advance
	Women's 25 m pistol	582	14			Did not advance
Jorge Grau Laina Pérez	10 m air pistol team	568	14	Did not advance

Swimming

Main articles: Swimming at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Swimming at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Cuba received a universality invitation from FINA to send two top-ranked swimmers (one per gender) in their respective individual events to the Olympics, based on the FINA Points System of June 28, 2021.^[15]

Athlete	Event	Heat		Semifinal		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Luis Vega Torres	Men's 200 m butterfly	1:59.00	31	Did not advance
	Men's 400 m individual medley	4:27.65	29	—		Did not advance
Elisbet Gámez	Women's 200 m freestyle	2:00.56	23	Did not advance

Table tennis

Main articles: Table tennis at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Table tennis at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Cuba entered two athletes into the table tennis competition at the Games. Daniela Fonseca scored a second-stage final triumph to notch the last ticket available in the women's singles and then teamed up with her partner and Rio 2016 Olympian Jorge Campos to seal an outright victory and a mixed doubles berth at the 2021 Latin American Qualification Tournament in Rosario, Argentina.^[16][17]

Athlete	Event	Preliminary	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round of 16	Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Final / BM
		Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Rank
Daniela Fonseca	Women's singles	Lay (AUS) L 0–4	Did not advance
Jorge Campos Daniela Fonseca	Mixed doubles	—				Franziska / Solja (GER) L 0–4	Did not advance

Taekwondo

Main articles: Taekwondo at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Taekwondo at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Cuba entered one athlete into the taekwondo competition at the Games. Rio 2016 Olympian and double world champion Rafael Alba secured a spot in the men's heavyweight category (+80 kg) with a top two finish at the 2020 Pan American Qualification Tournament in San José, Costa Rica.^[18]

Athlete	Event	Round of 16	Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Repechage	Final / BM
		Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Rank
Rafael Alba	Men's +80 kg	Georgievski (MKD) L 8–11	Did not advance		Gbané (CIV) W 8–2	Sun Hy (CHN) W 5–4

Volleyball

Main article: Volleyball at the 2020 Summer Olympics

Beach

Cuba women's beach volleyball team qualified for the Olympics by winning the gold medal at the 2018–2020 NORCECA Continental Cup Final in Colima, Mexico.^[19]

Athlete	Event	Preliminary round				Repechage	Round of 16	Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Final / BM
		Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Rank	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Opposition Score	Rank
Lidy Echevarría Leila Martínez	Women's	Artacho / Clancy (AUS) L (15–21, 14–21)	Kholomina / Makroguzova (ROC) L (16–21, 11–21)	Menegatti / Orsi Toth (ITA) W (21–16, 21–16)	3 R	Schoon / Stam (NED) W (21–17, 21–17)	Klineman / Ross (USA) L (17–21, 15–21)	Did not advance

Weightlifting

Main articles: Weightlifting at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Weightlifting at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Cuba entered four weightlifters (one man and three women) into the Olympic competition. Rio 2016 Olympian Marina Rodríguez finished seventh of the eight highest-ranked weightlifters in the women's 64 kg category based on the IWF Absolute World Rankings, with rookies Olfides Sáez (men's 96 kg), Ludia Montero (women's 49 kg), and Eyurkenia Pileta (women's +87 kg) topping the field of weightlifters vying for qualification from the Americas in their respective weight categories based on the IWF Absolute Continental Rankings.^[20]

Athlete	Event	Snatch		Clean & Jerk		Total	Rank
		Result	Rank	Result	Rank
Olfides Sáez	Men's –96 kg	156	11	203	7	359	9
Ludia Montero	Women's –49 kg	82	5	96	7	178	6
Marina Rodríguez	Women's –64 kg	98	11	123	6	221	8
Eyurkenia Pileta	Women's +87 kg	96	10	129	8	225	9

Wrestling

Main articles: Wrestling at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Wrestling at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Cuba qualified twelve wrestlers for each of the following classes into the Olympic competition. Two of them finished among the top six to book Olympic spots in the men's Greco-Roman (67 and 130 kg) at the 2019 World Championships, while ten more licenses were awarded to Cuban wrestlers, who progressed to the top two finals at the 2020 Pan American Qualification Tournament in Ottawa, Canada.^[21][22]

Key:

• VT (ranking points: 5–0 or 0–5) – Victory by fall.
• VB (ranking points: 5–0 or 0–5) – Victory by injury (VF for forfeit, VA for withdrawal or disqualification)
• PP (ranking points: 3–1 or 1–3) – Decision by points – the loser with technical points.
• PO (ranking points: 3–0 or 0–3) – Decision by points – the loser without technical points.
• ST (ranking points: 4–0 or 0–4) – Great superiority – the loser without technical points and a margin of victory of at least 8 (Greco-Roman) or 10 (freestyle) points.
• SP (ranking points: 4–1 or 1–4) – Technical superiority – the loser with technical points and a margin of victory of at least 8 (Greco-Roman) or 10 (freestyle) points.

Freestyle

Athlete	Event	Round of 16	Quarterfinal	Semifinal	Repechage	Final / BM
		Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Rank
Alejandro Valdés	Men's −65 kg	Niyazbekov (KAZ) L 1–3 PP	Did not advance				11
Geandry Garzón	Men's −74 kg	Kadzimahamedau (BLR) L 1–3 PP	Did not advance		Dake (USA) L 0–4 ST	Did not advance	9
Reineris Salas	Men's −97 kg	Hushtyn (BLR) W 3–1 PP	Nurov (MKD) W 3–1 PP	Sadulaev (ROC) L 0–3 PO	Bye	Sharifov (AZE) W 3–1 PP
Yusneylys Guzmán	Women's −50 kg	Sun Yn (CHN) L 1–3 PP	Did not advance		Livach (UKR) L 0–5 VT	Did not advance	12
Laura Hérin	Women's −53 kg	Pang Qy (CHN) L 1–3 PP	Did not advance		Winchester (USA) L 0–3 PP	Did not advance	15
Yudaris Sánchez	Women's −68 kg	Zhou F (CHN) L 1–3 PP	Did not advance				12

Greco-Roman

Athlete	Event	Round of 16	Quarterfinal	Semifinal	Repechage	Final / BM
		Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Rank
Luis Orta	Men's −60 kg	Hafizov (USA) W 3–0 PO	Emelin (ROC) W 3–1 PP	Ciobanu (MDA) W 4–0 ST	Bye	Fumita (JPN) W 3–1 PP
Ismael Borrero	Men's −67 kg	Zoidze (GEO) L 1–3 PP	Did not advance				11
Yosvanys Peña	Men's −77 kg	Ali Geraei (IRI) L 1–3 PP	Did not advance				10
Daniel Grégorich	Men's −87 kg	Abbasov (AZE) W 3–1 PP	Metwally (EGY) L 0–5 VT	Did not advance			9
Gabriel Rosillo	Men's −97 kg	Savolainen (FIN) L 1–3 PP	Did not advance				13
Mijaín López	Men's −130 kg	Alexuc-Ciurariu (ROU) W 4–0 ST	Mirzazadeh (IRI) W 4–0 ST	Kayaalp (TUR) W 3–0 PO	Bye	Kajaia (GEO) W 3–0 PO

See also

• Cuba at the 2019 Pan American Games