Central American & Caribbean Games Qualifier recap and results
August 14th, 2014 / All
The finals of the second Central American & Caribbean Games Qualifier were held in Bogota, Colombia, and the host nation of the event managed to claim a gold medal.
Bout of the day
Colombia’s women boxers are some of the most developed athletes in the South American and Caribbean region in comparison to their performance in the last London 2012 Olympic era.
Their Middleweight class (75 kg) number one is Jessica Caicedo Sinisterra, and she claimed a bronze medal in the South American Games in March.
After defeating Venezuela’s AIBA Women’s World Championships competitor Francelis Carmona in the Bolivarian Games in Chiclayo, Peru last November, they re-matched in Bogota, and the taller Colombian boxer was able to beat her rival once again.
The final verdict was a split decision win for the 19-year-old Caicedo who achieved the host nation’s lone gold medal in the second qualifiers in a fantastic contest.
Team of the day
Cuba won all three of their bouts in the final of the second qualification event, which means that they will be able to compete in ten weight classes in the Central American & Caribbean Games in Veracruz, Mexico in November.
WSB Team Champion and London 2012 Olympian Yosvany Veitia defeated Venezuela’s Beijing 2008 Olympian Eduard Bermudez in the gold medal bout.
London 2012 Olympic Champion, the 20-year-old Robeisy Ramirez was too strong for Venezuela’s Jhonny Blanco in the final of the Bantamweight class (56 kg), while Cuba’s third final victory was achieved by former AIBA Junior World Champion 21-year-old Arlen Lopez at the Middleweight class (75 kg) after beating Dominican Republic’s tough Raul Sanchez in the Bogota event.
Surprise of the day
Honduras’ Bayron Molina received a quota from the Tripartite Quota Commission and competed at the London 2012 Olympic Games as well.
The 22-year-old Central American Light Flyweight class (49 kg) boxer has not won any international competition during his career yet, but he achieved a career breakthrough in Bogota with his win over Nicaragua’s Reineris Gutierrez in the gold medal bout.
One to watch
Mexico’s National Champion Sulem Urbina has been a member of their national team since 2011, and her boxing knowledge is rising at an incredible rate.
Her skills were enough to beat Venezuela’s AMBC American Women’s Continental Champion and London 2012 Olympian Karlha Magliocco in the final of the Flyweight class (51 kg).
Urbina has been preparing to the upcoming Central American & Caribbean Games with full speed where she will be able to fight on home soil.
Stat/Fact of the tournament
The second and last chance qualifier for the Central American & Caribbean Games was a good promotion of boxing in the developing regions of the continent.
Honduras and Virgin Islands have not won many medals in recent times, but their top athletes such as Bayron Molina and Clayton Laurent were able to reach the top of the podium in Bogota, which means they will also be there in Veracruz, Mexico in November.
List of the winners
Women’s 51 kg: Sulem Urbina, Mexico
Women’s 60 kg: Crisandi Rios, Venezuela
Women’s 75 kg: Jessica Caicedo, Colombia
Men’s 49 kg: Bayron Molina, Honduras
Men’s 52 kg: Yosvany Veitia, Cuba
Men’s 56 kg: Robeisy Ramirez, Cuba
Men’s 60 kg: Jose Rosario, Puerto Rico
Men’s 64 kg: Luis Arcon, Venezuela
Men’s 69 kg: Gabriel Maestre, Venezuela
Men’s 75 kg: Arlen Lopez, Cuba
Men’s 81 kg: Albert Ramirez, Venezuela
Men’s 91 kg: Michael Narvaez, Puerto Rico
Men’s +91 kg: Clayton Laurent, Virgin Islands