Cuba Celebrates First Victory at Women’s World Boxing Championship

Cuba achieved its first win in the women’s world boxing championship, with Melani Girado winning against Tanzania’s Halima Vunjabei who did not show up. Girado’s next opponent will be the winner of the Uktamova-Kasumova match. Yoana Rodriguez and Dayira Mesa are also set to compete this week, accompanied by their coaches, who expressed commitment to women’s boxing in Cuba.

Cuba has marked a significant milestone by achieving its first victory at a women’s world boxing championship. Melani Girado, competing in the 57 kilograms category, emerged victorious against her opponent, the Tanzanian Halima Vunjabei, during their match on Monday. Notably, Girado secured this win as Vunjabei did not attend the bout, resulting in an automatic victory for the Cuban.

Currently, the championship is being hosted in Nis, Serbia, and Girado is set to face the winner of the contest between Uzbekistan’s Nigina Uktamova and Georgia’s Kasumova in her next match. Furthermore, Cuban boxers Yoana Rodriguez in the 81 kg category and Dayira Mesa in the 75 kg category are scheduled to compete this Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

Rodriguez and Mesa will contend against Uzbekistan’s Sokhiba Ruzmetova and Russia’s Anastasia Shamonova in their upcoming bouts. The three athletes are competing under the guidance of coaches Ivan Sadiel Horta del Rey and Santiago Suarez. Upon their arrival, the coaches shared insights about the evolution of women’s boxing in Cuba, noting the late start in the sport but highlighting the dedication and support from the National Commission and their team.

The coaches emphasized that they have approached this endeavor with considerable enthusiasm, indicating a strong collaborative effort to foster success in women’s boxing, despite its recent introduction in Cuba.

In summary, Melani Girado’s automatic victory has marked Cuba’s first win in their initial participation at a women’s world boxing championship. The forthcoming matches involving Yoana Rodriguez and Dayira Mesa indicate Cuba’s growing commitment to developing its women’s boxing program, led by dedicated coaching. The support from the National Commission further underscores the ambition to succeed in this relatively new domain of sport in Cuba.

Original Source: www.cubanews.acn.cu