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Havana, September 30 (RHC) – Cuba delivered an outstanding performance at the 2026 Brazil Open Taekwondo tournament, winning one gold and one silver medal with its only two representatives and finishing third in the country rankings.
Arlettys de la Caridad Acosta claimed the title, triumphing in the 73-kilogram category. Her victory confirmed the effectiveness of the small Cuban delegation, which turned every appearance into a medal.
The Havana native—already a champion from Santo Domingo 2026—dominated a field reduced to three contenders, with the title decided via a round-robin format. In the decisive phase, she defeated Brazil’s Maria Eduarda Souza 2–0. The bronze went to fellow host-nation athlete Livia Portigliotti.
The other Cuban representative, Yoikel Goicochea Henry, added to the medal haul by taking silver in the over-87-kilogram division. The athlete from the capital advanced to the final after defeating Brazil’s Patrik Pereira Cardoso 2–1 in a three-round semifinal.
Pereira, representing Brazil and a World Junior Championship bronze medalist, could not stop the powerful Cuban, who thus secured his spot in the title match. In the final, Goicochea lost 0–2 to another Brazilian, Pedro Arthur Alves Jesus.
Alves’s key achievements include a bronze medal in that division at the 2026 Pan American Championship. His victory in Londrina added another notable milestone to his international career.
The silver medal won in Brazil continues Goicochea’s competitive rise in the heavyweight divisions. His most significant result prior to this had been the gold medal in the over-80-kilogram category at the 2025 Junior Pan American Games in Asunción.
In that competition, the Cuban went undefeated, defeating Colombia’s César Silva 2–0 in the final bout. That performance also secured a spot at the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima.
With Acosta’s title and Goicochea’s second-place finish, Cuba concluded its participation in the 2026 Brazil Open with one gold and one silver medal. The successful showing of its two athletes earned the country third place in the overall standings.
“Returning home with the satisfaction of a job well done,” summarized Iván Quiroz, president of the Cuban Taekwondo Federation.
