Modest aspirations for Lima Games

Talking with Leonides Regüeiferos in between training sessions of the women's and men's beach volleyball pre selection teams, we learned that he has modest aspirations for the Pan-American Games in Lima, set to take place July 26 through August 11.

The head national coach reported that Cuba will present a duo in both the men’s and women’s events, with the women looking to win a bronze medal, while the men are aiming to place fifth. We asked him about this modest goal for the latter, since the Sergio González-Nivaldo Díaz pair won bronze in the Toronto 2015 Games.

"After the gold in the Central American and the Caribbean Games, Barranquilla 2018, won by the two aforementioned players, Nivaldo Díaz decided not to continue on the team, after four years of work with Sergio.

Now, Luis Enrique Reyes is playing with him; and the battle against duos from the United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico (current champion, with Juan Virgen and Rodolfo Ontiveros), which do have experienced teams, will be very difficult,” he explained.In addition to the González-Reyes duo, Yosvany Carrasco-Karell Peña, José Luis Aguilera-Jorge Alayo, and Lázaro M. Porte-Miguel Ayón are in the preparatory stage, competing in intermediate events leading up to Lima.

Cuba has plans to participate in four stages of the North, Central America and Caribbean (Norceca) circuit, scheduled beginning in April in Mexico, the Cayman Islands, Nicaragua, plus the traditional meet in the Cuban beach resort of Varadero.

Referring to aspirations for the women, who in Toronto won silver with Lianma Flores-Leila Martínez, Regüeiferos explained that the country’s top duo is now composed of Leila and Maylén Delís, who debuted last year in the Norceca Circuit event in Aguascalientes, Mexico, placing second, going on to win a gold medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games Barranquilla 2018.

The coach said that they are in a position to win the bronze, facing stiff competition from Canada, Brazil, the United States, and Argentina, the latter being the leader in Toronto, with Ana Gallay-Georgina Klug.Lidianni Echevarría-Yanisleidis Sánchez, Aylín Echevarría-Enilianni Dutil and Lázara Madam-Yaineris Goulet, are the other two duos on the national pre-selection team.In addition to the Norceca circuit, the top Cuban duos will compete in the upcoming World Championship, June 27-July 6 in Hamburg, Germany.

A male and female duo will participate, since they are ranked among the first four by Norceca."After evaluating the results of this important competition, we will participate in a segment of the World Tour, scheduled July 17-21 in Edmonton, Canada, to which we plan to take both a male and female pair," he said. After this, the country’s beach volley players will be focused on the Pan American Games in Lima