Cuban Judokas Reaffirm Their Path to Santo Domingo 2026

The echoes of the Cuban judokas' performance at the Senior Central American and Caribbean Cup, the last qualifying filter ahead of Santo Domingo 2026, remain fresh following a harvest of 13 medals.

Gold medals carried the names of Orlando Polanco (66 kg) and Andy Granda (+100 kg) in the men's division, alongside Dalí Semanat (52 kg), Maylín del Toro (63 kg), and Dayanara Curbelo (+78 kg) in the women's division — all of them asserting their dominance on the tatami with authority.

The medal table was rounded out by silver finishes from Iván Felipe Silva (100 kg), Yainet Coronado (48 kg), Lianet Cardona (78 kg), and Naysdel Cardoso (90 kg), as well as bronze medals for Jonathan Charón (60 kg), Marlon Herrera (73 kg), Rubén Romero (81 kg), and Anisleidys Ur López (70 kg) — a demonstration of competitive depth across weight categories.

Despite improving their overall medal count compared to the previous tournament in Panama, where they secured 11, the Cubans yielded ground in the overall standings due to a lower conversion rate in finals bouts, in an event ultimately dominated by Colombia, with Mexico also finishing on the general podium.

The team's performance carries added weight when considering its limited international participation throughout the qualifying cycle, with appearances restricted to events in Panama and Guatemala — a narrow schedule that nonetheless did not prevent the squad from displaying a remarkable level of competition.

With attention now turning to the Senior Pan American Championship in April, once again on Panamanian soil, the athletes under the guidance of coaches Julio Alderete, Boennys Chang, and Antonio Becali are sharpening their preparation with their sights firmly set on the Central American and Caribbean Games, where Cuban judo aspires to convert these medals into continental glory.