Holguin athlete Taymara Oropesa was awarded with the most beautiful prize for her perseverance and will, when she reached the badminton podium in the two most important competitions for Cuban sports in 2023.
More than three years away from competitions, but not from the courts, did not mitigate her hopes of achieving her goals.
Taymara Oropesa, queen of badminton in 2023, from Holguin
Oropesa grabbed the silver medal at the XXIV Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador 2023 and the bronze medal at the XIX Pan American Games in Santiago 2023.
Taymara, in fact, became the first Cuban female badminton player to be included in the medal list in the history of the Pan American Games, in an atypical year since they coincided with the Central Caribbean Games, which demanded an extra for all those involved.
“Year 2023 meant a lot to me, especially emotionally. It was a very good comeback with a gold medal in doubles at the Giraldilla in Havana, and then the most revealing, metals in the two most important events of the year,” stated the persistent athlete.
“I am very happy, many of my dreams have been fulfilled, especially for having made history in Cuban badminton. I hope the next one will be better, I want very much to qualify to Paris 2024 and continue making history,” she expressed.
Taymara Oropesa from Holguín, queen of badminton in 2023
Taymara does not overlook to thank the support she has received from her family and coaches who gave her their facilities when she was out of the luxury selection, because she never stopped preparing, therein lies one of her greatest strengths.
“I also thank my coaches of Team Cuba, Humberto Daudinot and Alexis Avalo, the national commissioner Orlando Cala and my best friend, Zoila Betanco, who was always there in good and bad times. She lifted me up every time I thought all was lost and helped me to keep fighting for my dreams, despite the circumstances. I dedicate all my achievements to her,” she acknowledged.
On the preparation of Taymara and the other players of the national team, Orlando Cala acknowledged “the collaboration of Sports Directorate in Pinar del Rio, its faculty of Physical Culture, which gave its facilities, the government and the Party, who welcomed us and are part of our success in 2023.
The director assured that “the health of badminton is growing and we will continue to work towards this, as a fundamental objective for next year we will have the massification and the rescue of the projects that have always been there and that will contribute to the development at a national level”.
He also detailed that they will work towards the II Junior Pan American Games of Asuncion 2025 and the Central American and Caribbean Games of Santo Domingo 2026, with a very young team, but with a lot of quality, capable of reaching a high goal and surpassing the performance of San Salvador 2023.
With information from Jit / Translated by Radio Angulo
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