Cuban judokas achieved three bronze medals on the first day of the Rio-2024 Pan American and Oceania Championships, through Maylín del Toro (63 kg), Jonathan Charón (60) and Aleanny Carbonell (52).
Charón opened with victory, by waza-ari, against the Colombian Santiago Vásquez, and in the quarterfinals, in less than two minutes, he led to the disqualification of the Salvadoran Jairo Moreno. In the semifinals he lost by ippon, shortly before half of regulation time, against the American David Terao, whom he had defeated in the same tournament, but in 2023.
The discussion of the bronze against Johan Rojas, from Colombia, was defined by the golden rule, with waza-ari.
Milko Obregón also competed for Cuba in the 60 kg, who won in his debut, by ippon, against Paraguayan Mateo Cabral. In the round of 16 he lost in added time, against the Mexican Arath Juárez.
Aleanny Carbonell won the second medal for the Cuban team. She first defeated the Ecuadorian Blanca Chala, and although in the second duel she lost to the American Angelica Delgado, she was able to advance to the repechage.
In that instance she beat the Panamanian Lilian Cordones, and on the podium, the Australian Tinka Easton.
Maylín del Toro completed the medalist list of the initial day. She defeated the Panamanian Manuela Tejada and then achieved her fifth victory, in seven individual duels, against the Venezuelan Anriquelis Barrios. Due to the fight for gold, she fell in overtime against Katharina Haecker (AUS), and later beat the Mexican Prisca Awiti.
Orlando Polanco lost ground in the 66 kg, and finished in fifth place. He dominated Joaquín Tovagliari (ARG) and Ari Berliner (USA), but in the semifinals he could not beat the local Willian Lima. For the bronze, in a fight that lasted until the seventh minute, he fell by waza-ari.
Yainet Coronado (48 kg) said goodbye to the tournament after her first start, against the Mexican Edna Carrillo.
Today Naysdel Cardoso (81 kg) will take to the tatami vs. Adrián Gandía (PUR), Lianet Cardona (-78) vs. Vanessa Chala (ECU), Idalys Ortiz (+78) against the winner between Ana Portuondo (CAN) and Izayana Marenco (NCA); Iván Silva (90) vs. Alexander Knauf (USA) or Ángel Gini (PAR), Liester Cardona (-100) vs. Rafael Romo (CHI), Jonathan Loynaz (+100) vs. José Nova (DOM) and Andy Granda (+100) vs. Sergio del Sol (MEX) or Gerard Takayawa (FIJ).
