Marlon Herrera, on the left, is seeking a spot at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo. Photo: International Judo Federation

Holguin native Marlon Herrera wins gold at Central American Judo Cup

Holguin judoka Marlon Herrera won the gold medal in the 73-kilogram category. At the Central American and Caribbean Cup, held in Panama, which Cuba dominated.

Herrera displayed a high level of performance throughout the competition. In the round of 32, he defeated Natan Lagos of Honduras with a Waza-Ari awasete ippon. In the round of 16 and quarterfinals, he won by knockout against Alejandro Mora (Costa Rica) and Ulises Méndez (Mexico). The latter being the highest-ranked athlete in the region.

In the semifinals, he defeated Colombian Andrés Sandoval by Yuko. In the final, he defeated Dominican Maikor Yefri Louis Pierre by the same technique in golden rule.

The Cuban delegation won medals in 11 of the 14 weight divisions. In addition to Marlon, the men’s medalists were Jonathan Charón (60 kg), Orlando Polanco (66 kg), and Andy Granda (+100 kg).

On the women’s side, Dali Sentmanat (52 kg) and Anisleydis Ur (70 kg) stood out, exceeding expectations by winning gold medals.

With six titles, four second-place finishes, and one bronze medal. Cuba dominated the tournament, finishing ahead of Mexico (3-1-6).