Triple jump queen Leyanis Pérez and boxer Julio César La Cruz headlined the selection of Cuba’s best athletes for the 2025 season. Both athletes earned the award for best individual athlete, male and female respectively.
Pérez’s performance was a dominant season in the triple jump. With victories at the World Championships (both outdoor and indoor) and the Diamond League. La Cruz added his 15th national title and the WBA continental professional boxing title, making him the direct challenger for the belt.
As a team, the duo of Noslen Díaz and Jorge Luis Alayo were the most outstanding. Thanks to their performance in the Beach Volleyball World Tour, their success at the NORCECA stop in Varadero. Their victories on the Russian national circuit.
With a gold and two bronze medals at the World Championships in Tokyo, track and field received the award for individual sport. In a season that also included a title and a silver medal at the indoor competition and a leading position at the Junior Pan American Games in Asunción.
Baseball earned the award among team sports thanks to the performance of the Baseball 5 team. Also with world junior champions, and the U-15 team, Pan American champions and qualifiers for the world championship.
Softball pitcher Yilián Tornes and volleyball player Alayo won in the team athlete category. Meanwhile, the performance of left-handed pitcher Liván Moinelo in Japanese baseball earned him the titles of event of the year and best contracted athlete.
The list of campaign highlights included Marifelix Sarria (weightlifting), Erislandy Álvarez (boxing), Lázaro Martínez (athletics), Yarisleidis Cirilo (canoeing), Silinda Morales (athletics), Milaimys de la Caridad Marín (wrestling), Liadagmis Povea (athletics), Alejandro Claro (boxing), Noslen Díaz (beach volleyball), and Arlen López (boxing).
Also receiving honorable mentions were boxer Lázaro Álvarez, runner Rozana Gómez, and pitcher Raidel Martínez.
Eric Hernández, a multi-record holder in ball-handling, was selected as an outstanding athlete in special sports. With an honorable mention for another athlete in this discipline, Jhoen Lefont.
With information from Prensa Latina
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