CUBA: WRESTLING/JUDO - Cuba pins hopes of Olympic gold on its wrestling and judo athletes
Record ID:
330992
CUBA: WRESTLING/JUDO - Cuba pins hopes of Olympic gold on its wrestling and judo athletes
- Title: CUBA: WRESTLING/JUDO - Cuba pins hopes of Olympic gold on its wrestling and judo athletes
- Date: 24th June 2012
- Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (RECENT) (REUTERS) ( ** INTERMITTENT AUDIO PROBLEMS ** VARIOUS OF GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLER MIJAIN LOPEZ (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLER, MIJAIN LOPEZ, SAYING: "I have always said that he (the athlete) who is better prepared is the one who is going to win the fight (London Olympics) and with the right mentality goes to the top, that he (athlete) always will win the fight. I have thought this up to now and it has always given me good results." VARIOUS OF LOPEZ DURING TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLER, MIJAIN LOPEZ, SAYING: "Preparation for these Olympics has gone well. I have prepared myself well, in the past year I had a little defeat and I think this is one of those things that no sportsperson in Cuba likes. I think that this is one of the things that helped me prepare this year. Arriving with enthusiasm at the Olympics, always with the (right) conditions coming into a fight for a gold medal and winning the gold. This is my wish and the wish of the Cuban people." VARIOUS OF LOPEZ DURING TRAINING CUBAN MEN'S JUDO TEAM DURING TRAINING VARIOUS OF CUBAN FEMALE JUDO TEAM DURING TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JUDO ATHLETE, IDALIS ORTIZ, SAYING: "Having been an Olympic medalist in the past (Beijing) Olympics there is a greater commitment now (heading into London) because you can't be ridiculed. Because of this you need to concentrate more, train stronger so you can get to an optimal condition (for London)." MORE OF FEMALE JUDO TEAM DURING TRAINING VARIOUS OF MALE JUDO TEAM DURING TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JUDO ATHLETE, ASLEY GONZALEZ, SAYING: "We will try to give it all our best because for us giving half will not do. We will try to leave with a win, fight by fight, compete well first of all and the medals will fall where they fall." VARIOUS OF MALE JUDO TEAM DURING TRAINING
- Embargoed: 9th July 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Cuba
- Country: Cuba
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVAVHVNDJUFDL6FF96L75Q1Y1WT
- Story Text: With only 34 days until the London games kicks off, Cuba's sporting greats are readying for another shot of Olympic fame.
Cuba's top Greco-Roman wrestler Mijain Lopez already has Beijing gold under his belt and is looking for a gold-medal repeat in the 2012 summer games.
The Olympic champion and four-time winner of Greco-Roman wrestling world titles said the key to sporting success is hard work and mental prowess.
"I have always said that he (the athlete) who is better prepared is the one who is going to win the fight (London Olympics) and with the right mentality goes to the top, that he (athlete) always will win the fight. I have thought this up to now and it has always given me good results," said Lopez.
Not resting on the laurels of past success, the 30-year-old champion suffered a minor defeat this year which he says has strengthened his resolve ahead of London.
"Preparation for these Olympics has gone well. I have prepared myself well, in the past year I had a little defeat and I think this is one of those things that no sportsperson in Cuba likes. I think that this is one of the things that helped me prepare this year. Arriving with enthusiasm at the Olympics, always with the (right) conditions coming into a fight for a gold medal and winning the gold. This is my wish and the wish of the Cuban people," he added.
The gold-medal winner heads a team of six wrestlers heading to London.
Cuba has also pinned its hopes of Olympic fame on its medal-winning judo teams.
With gold eluding the country's female judo athletes since Sydney 2000, the national women's team is looking to outdo traditional champions China and Japan and break its gold drought.
Judo bronze medalist at the Beijing games Idalis Ortiz said the pressure is on to better her 2008 placing.
"Having been an Olympic medalist in the past (Beijing) Olympics there is a greater commitment now (heading into London) because you can't be ridiculed. Because of this you need to concentrate more, train stronger so you can get to an optimal condition (for London)," she said.
Cuba is sending six female judo players to London in hopes of scooping the field.
Joining them will be the country's male judo stars. Cuba's male judo athletes have collected four bronze medals for the Caribbean island in the last three Olympic games and are desperate for a taste of gold.
Olympian Asley Gonzalez said the team will give all they got at London.
"We will try to give it all our best because for us giving half will not do. We will try to leave with a win, fight by fight, compete well first of all and the medals will fall where they fall," he said.
The London 2012 Olympic Games kicks off on July 27 and runs to August 12. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: Video restrictions: parts of this video may require additional clearances. Please see ‘Business Notes’ for more information.