Olfides Saez

Havana, February 28 (JIT) - Three medals were won by the Cubans who competed in the Pan American Senior Weightlifting Championship of Miranda 2024, in Venezuela.

In the 89 kilograms division, Olfides Sáez, from Cienfuegos, fulfilled the prediction with which he arrived in Venezuelan territory, by climbing the podium on two occasions.

The Antillean weightlifter was unable to win a medal in the starting weightlifting. He had to settle for fourth place, after lifting 156 and 160 kg, and failing in his third attempt at 164 kg.

In this modality, the gold medal went to Colombia's Yeison Lopez (175 kg), the silver medal to Arley Mendez (170 kg) from Cuba representing Chile, and the bronze medal to Canada's Boady Santavy (168 kg), according to the official website of the event. 

Olfides appealed to his characteristic grit and a third exit in which he achieved 206 kg catapulted him to the second place of the competition, only surpassed by the Colombian Lopez (207 kg) and Mendez (205 kg).

The biathlon podium crowned Yeison Lopez (382 kg), followed by Mendez (375 kg) and the Cuban, who won the bronze medal with 366 kg.

The only female representative of the Cuban delegation, Yeniuska Mirabal from Guantanamo, also saw action on Tuesday, on the fourth day of competition.

In the 71 kg division, she lifted the bar with 107 kg on her back in the snatch, valid to win the silver medal. Angie Palacios, from Ecuador (110 kg), and Amanda Acosta, from Brazil (105 kg), completed the winners' stand.

The Cuban did not return to the platform of the José Joaquín "Papá" Carrillo gymnasium to compete in the rebound, so she could not aspire to those in the total.Ecuador's Palacios was the big winner in both categories. Mari Sanchez, from Colombia, and Diana Laura Garcia, from Mexico, won silver and bronze metals respectively, both in the rebound and the total.