Portland Observer, September 1,1982 Page 9
Central American and Caribbean Games
"Spectacular” is the only word to
describe the 14th Central American
and Caribbean Games held in Cuba
on August 7th through 18th. A,
times the enthusiasm o f the crowds;
the rhythmic beat of the music; the
bright reds, blues and yellows o f the
newly renovated stadiums; the col
orful flags of the 24 participating
nations; the surprise visits o f Fidel
Castro even outdid the stellar per
formances of the athletes.
As predicted, Cuba walked away
with the games but there were sur
prises — the dismal showing o f C u
ba's basketball team; the first match
loss by Angel Hererra, Cuba’s two-
time Olympic gold boxer; Cuba's
first gold medal in swimming for 28
years.
There weie times o f great emotion
— the easy win of Alberto Juantor-
ena in the 800 meters; two stunning
first-round victories by Tcofilo Ste
venson; three gold medals won by
Leandro Penalvar; and a new world
record by weight lifter Daniel
Nunez.
The opening ceremony set the
tone o f music, color and brother
hood lor the games to follow. Fol
lowing the entry o f hundreds of
young people carrying red and blue
flags, the flags of the participating
countries were carried into the sta
dium by riders on galloping horses
representing the "m am bís" who
fought for freedom against Spain.
The delegations of athletes marched
in beginning with Mexico, where the
games began, followed by Nether
lands Antilles, (he Bahamas, Barba
dos, Belize, Bermudas, Costa Rica,
Dominican
Republic,
Grenada.
Guatemala, Guyana, H aiti, US V ir
gin Islands, British Virgin Islands,
Jamaica,
Nicaragua,
Panama,
Puerto Rico, Surinam, Trinidad and
Tobago, Venezuela and Cuba. The
most enthusiastic was Puerto Rico,
carrying small flags and stopping to
salute President Fidel Castro; the
crowd favorite was Nicaragua,
which received a prolonged ovation.
The torch was lit — for the first
time — by a woman athlete. The fire
had come from Mexico by ship to
Cuba, following the same route
taken by Fidel when he returned
from exile in Mexico in 1956 to
bring freedom and independence to
Cuba.
The formal opening ceremonies
were followed by a demonstration in
ballet, dance and gymnastics, with
5,(XX) students (ranging from age
three through university age), de
picting the role of sports in health.
The demonstration was backed by
5,(XX) technical students who, with
colored cards, formed 62 different
pictures and designs.
* a •
The sports activities were held in
IK facilities in Havana and sites in
Santiago de Cuba and Cienfuegos.
Many events were held at Sport
City. Located in the heart o f Hava
na, Sport City has acres o f playing
fields, a domed coliseum, an out
door football stadium, twoolympic-
sized swimming pools and a diving
pool with spectator stands. A djoin
ing Sport City is "M ariposa" sta
dium, a smaller, covered stadium of
futuristic design used for wrestling,
judo and similar sports.
Hard-fought basketball games
that culminated in the double fea
ture with the women’s teams from
Cuba and Puerto Rico and the
men’s teams from the same nations
competing for the gold were played
on the bright blue and red floor of
the Sport City coliseum. The well
coordinated Cuban women’s team
easily surpassed Puerto Rico 87-57,
but Cuba’s men lost 77-71. It was an
exciting moment for Puerto Rico,
but not enough to take the gold
from Cuba, which won on points
made, points given up. The standing
was Cuba - Puerto Rico - Mexico
for both men and women.
The games were played to a full
house of over 14,000, complete with
two bands that rocked the stadium
throughout the games. And some
thing that never happens in the US;
the attendance, enthusiasm and
pride were as great for the women as
for the men.
Cuba took I I of the 12 gold med
als in boxing. One of the greatest
surprises of the games was the
defeat o f two-time Olympic gold
medalist and reigning world light
weight champion Angel Herrera,
who was T K O ’d in the first round of
his first match. A cut above the left
eye, the result o f a head butt ruled
unintentional, ended (he match and
Herrera’s participation
in
the
games.
Teofilo Stevenson
______
Teofilo Stevenson, super heavy
weight, holder o f three Olympic
gold medals, easily won his two
bouts with first-round knockouts.
N. Rosa of Puerto Rico hit the floor
after a hard right. J. Pearson o f V ir
gin Islands USA sunk to the canvas
following a hard left and a soft
right; the verdict: " T K O .” The
fights did nothing to test the ability
of Stevenson, who is attempting a
comeback ufter a two-year absence
from the ring following a car acci
dent.
The closest bout was the bantam
weight between Bautista Hernandez
o f Cuba and Manuel Vilches of
Venezuela. The fight went a furious
three rounds, with Vilches battling
the world champion Hernandez to
the bell. Hernandez won a 4-1 deci
sion.
Other Cuban victors were light
weight Rafael Saenz, a unanimous
decision over Marlon Amodos of
Nicaragua; Adolfo Horta, unani
mous winner over featherweight
Samuel Fuentes of Puerto Rico;
light welterweight Carlos Garcia
over Pedro Cruz of Puerto Rico
with a T K O in the second round;
welterweight Jose Luis Hernandez
K O ’d Genaro Leon of Mexico in the
2nd; lightweight Armondo Martinez
A lb erto Juantorena
won a unanimous decision over
Venezuela’s J. L. Stevenson; Ber
nard Gomez T K O ’d middleweight
Frank Ruiz o f Puerto Rico in two;
light heavyweight Pablo Romero
T K O ’d Eddie Ruiz o f Puerto Rico;
heavyweight Hemeregildo Baez de
feated R. M arin o f Puerto Rico with
a TK O .
In the lightweight division Juan
Rodriguez o f the Dominican Repub
lic won a 3-2 decision over Jose
Guzman of Venezuela that brought
boos from the crowd.
• • •
Alberto Juantorena, called the
"gentleman o f Cuban sport," elec
trified the nation with an easy win in
the 800 meters, breaking his own
meet record at 1:45.15. Juantorena
made sports history in 1976 by win
ning Olympic gold medals in the 400
and 800 meter races, clocking an
awesome 44.26 seconds in the first
and 1:43.50 — a world record — in
the second.
During the 1977 World University
Games in Sofia, Bulgaria, he broke
his own record by clocking 1:43.44
in the 800 meters.
Experts speculated that Juantor
ena could make the 800 meters in
1:40, but he gave signs o f slowing in
1978. Although his achilles tendon
was operated on, he never regained
his former speed. In the meantime,
Sebastian Coe had accomplished the
feat the experts predicted for Juan
torena, doing 800 in less than 1:42.
A recent operation by Cuban
surgeon Dr. Rodrigo Alvarez Cam-
bras, using new techniques he had
developed, was apparently success
ful. His previous times this year
were 1:46.29, 1:48.19 and 1:46.46.
Juantorena, at 31, looks forward to
the Pan American games next year
and the 1984 Olympics.
• * •
Alberto Juantorena led the Cu
ban 4<X) meter relay team to victory
with a record time of 3:03.59. The
Cuban team was composed o f Agus-
tin Pavo, Roberto Ramos, Carl
Reytc and Jua.itorena. Juantorena
came from behind with a lap of
44.13 to bring victory to the
Cubans.
Cuba also won the men’s 100 re
lay and the women’s 400 relay.
In track, Leandro Penalvar Gon
zalez o f Cuba thrilled the crowds at
Pedro Marrero stadium by winning
three gold medals — 100 meters
(10.16), 200 meters (20.42) and 100
meter relay (39.15).
Penalvar, 21, first competed in
track in 1973 after playing baseball
for 12 years as a pitcher and second
baseman. He continued in baseball
until 1979, when he began studies to
become a P.E. teacher. It was in
school that his great speed was dis
covered. In 1981 he began training
for competition.
After only 5 months training Pen
alvar ran the 100 and 200 in 10.24
and 20.92. Selected for the Cuban
team to compete in the Spartacaids
o f the Friendly Armies in Hungary,
he won the gold medals in 10.24 and
20.91 and ran the post in the 100
meter relay. In 1982 he won the na
tional championship.
Penalvar's 200 meter win set a
new record at 20.42. Osvaldo Lara
o f Cuba was second at 20.94, and
Nunoez o f Dominican Republic
third, the same position as in the 100
meters.
Daniel Nunez o f Cuba set a new
world record in the 60 kilo class
weight lifting with a snatch o f 136
kilograms, bettering the mark of
Bulgarian Boloslav Manolov o f
135.5. Nunez, the 1980 Olympic
gold medalist, also won the press at
160 kilos, a new meet record. N u
nez’ total was 292 kilos, also a meet
record.
Nunez and Manolov will meet a
second time in September in Yugo
slavia. In their last meeting, in the
world championships in France,
Manolov took the gold and Nunez
the silver.
Julio Loscos, also o f Cuba, made
three new records anu won three
gold medals in the 67.5 kilo class.
The.records are 132.5 in the snatch,
165 in the press and 297.5 total.
Cuba took all 30 gold medals in
weightlifting and broke 43 meet
records.
Sport is the right
o f the people —
Fidel
Luis M ariano Delis o f Cuba is a
double champion, setting a new
shotput record with a throw o f
18.88 meters, the previous mark be
ing 17.51. Delis won the javelin with
82.40 meters, breaking his previous
record o f 78.74.
• • •
Cuba retained the volleyball titles
for both sexes. The world champion
women’s team defeated Mexico
15-14, 15-10 and 15-12. The men
easily defeated Mexico 15-10, 15-8
and 15-4. The Dominican women
were third, the Venezuelan men
fourth.
• • •
Penalvar and Lara
• • •
One o f the most dramatic mo
ments of the games came when Cu
bans Nery McKeen and Maria Re-
baux and Puerto Rican Angelita
Lind threw themselves over the 800
meter finish line in what proved to
be a photo finish before collapsing
on the track in exhaustion. The
Puerto Rican, the favorite to win,
led until the last 30 meters. The
camera showed McKeen the win
ner. Time — 2:04.22. The clock
showed Lind at 2:04.24 and Rebaux
at 2:04.47.
Jamaican Sondra Freeman won
the women's 4(X) hurdles at 58.15, a
new meet record.
CUBA
Maxico
Venezuela
Puerto Rico
R Dominicani
Jamaica
Coata Rica
1. Virg USA
Qold Silver Bronze Total
39
283
71
173
29
SS
19
39
131
7
43
S3
4
4
a
22
34
3
a
13
3
1
4
8
a
4
>
4
9
a
9
1
i
2
2
1
a
3
1
0
Guyana
i
•
Haiti
i
0
0
Nicaragua
•
Bence
A Holandesas 1 •
Barbados
0
Panama
Bermudas
0
Granada
•
•
Suriname
47
54
112
103
Guatemala
Trinidad Tobagot
Bahamas
Venezuela won the gold medal in
football (soccer) and its victory was
nearly as surprising as Italy's in the
World Cup. Victory came with a 1-0
score over favored Mexico. The
Venezuelan team attacked with
great speed and made its only goal 8
minutes into the final half. Cuba de
feated the Bahamas for third.
3
a
a
a
1
0
0
11
0
3
a
a
a
2
2
0
2
1
a
n
20
a
1
' 3
2
2
2
1
Fresh from a fifth-place win in
the world championships in Guaya
quil, Ecuador, the previous week,
(he Cuban water polo team easily
defeated Mexico 12-5 and Puerto
Rico 3-1 in the finals. The Cuban
team set a new record, holding the
title for four consecutive Central
American and Caribbean games.
Mexico took the silver and Puerto
Rico the bronze in this demanding
sport.
• • •
The Dominican Republic won the
gold in baseball after a surprise de
feat o f Cuba by Panama put Cuba
out o f the running. Cuba's defeat,
along with a second loss to Puerto
Rico, raised a call for an investiga
tion o f Cuba’s baseball program —
for so long the best in the world.
Dominican
Republic defeated
Venezuela 5 to 4 for the gold; Cuba
was second and Panama third.
• • •
Cuba won a convincing 3-1 vic
tory over favored Mexico to take
first place in field hockey. Cuba’s
short passes and rapid attack dom
inated the game. In spite o f Mex
ico’s superior technique, they could
not hold back the constant ap
proach.
An unusual game was played be
tween Trinidad and Tobago and
Barbados for third place. A fter reg
ulation time and two overtime peri
ods the game was still scoreless.
A fter 10 penalty strokes each the
score was tied 6 all; after an addi
tional 10 strokes the score was
15-15; and after a third set o f penal
ty strokes Barbados won 21 to 20.
• * •
Bahamas won first place in men’s
softball by defeating Cuba 7 to 1 in
the last game o f the tourney and a
5-1 win over Cuba in the semi-final.
The final victory came with 10 hits
including 2 home runs and 3 triples.
The Puerto Rican women took
the gold.
• • •
Mexico dominated the swimming
events with 24 medals including 13
gold. The team was led by Isabel
Reuss and Alberto Mestre with six
gold each and Teresa Rivera with
five gold. For Venezuela, Rafael
Vidal won 6 gold.
Pedro Hernandez won C uba’s
first gold medal in swimming in 28
years, with a new area record o f
2:24.97 in the 200 meter breast
stroke. In all, 41 new swimming rec
ords were set.
Venezuela was second with 19
medals (10-2-7) and Costa Rico fol
lowed with 7 (3-2-2).
Mexico also took the gold in syn
chronized swimming; Cuba was sec
ond and Puerto Rico third.
• • •
A political victory was the pres
ence o f Puerto Rican spectators who
challenged Reagan's ban on tourism
to Cuba by attending the games.
These people, many of them parents
o f the young athletes, face 10 years
in prison or fines o f $10,000.
" W e ’re here because we don’t
accept the Reagan administration's
unfair decision to ban Puerto Rican
tourists from traveling to Cuba to
attend
the
Central
American
Games, and we don’t mind facing
all the risks and reprisals," said Ru
ben Berrios, president o f the Puerto
Rican Independence Party, when he
arrived in Havana. He added that
the unfair and arbitrary order
proved, in a direct way, what US
colonialism really means. "W hen
freedom of movement is restricted
for sports fans, the people can see
what colonial domination means.”
The tourists were met at the air
port by Cuban officials; and the
common colonial heritage o f Cuba
and Puerto Rico, and the brother
hood between the two islands, was
apparent throughout the games.
I