Cuba to Honor Its Best Athletes of the Year

In a gala scheduled for the Coliseum of the Ciudad Deportiva in the capital, Cuba will today honor its finest athletes of the concluding year. The highest distinctions among conventional sports were awarded to triple jumper Leyanis Pérez and boxer Julio César La Cruz.

They were selected as the most outstanding in individual sports and will receive their awards alongside the coaches who guided them through a season of world medals and other significant achievements.

Leyanis dominated the world championships outdoors and indoors, in addition to securing the Diamond League trophy for the second consecutive time and leading the world rankings as the sole athlete with multiple marks exceeding 14.90 meters.

For La Cruz, an idol from Camagüey, the year featured a world bronze medal and his fifteenth national title, as well as the continental belt of the World Boxing Association and his conversion into a direct challenger for the World Championship Belt.

During the evening, organized by the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education, and Recreation (Inder), awards will be presented to standout athletes in various categories, including individual and team sports of the year, top juniors, and those dedicated to sports for persons with disabilities.

The event will include cultural performances, and several honorees will have the opportunity to share their reflections with attendees, who are expected to include family and friends.

The ceremony will conclude a year in which Cuban sports faced several challenges, including the II Asunción Junior Pan American Games and the Youth Parapan American Games in Chile.