Sport in Cuba
Cuba has a long history associated with the United States and this also influenced the sports scene in the country. Unlike most Spanish-speaking countries who often favor football or soccer, Cuban sports fans lean towards North American influenced sports which means they share the United States' love for its national pastime, baseball. This does not mean that they do not like football though. As a matter of fact, Cubans also love playing basketball, cricket, volleyball and even athletics. They are also a powerhouse in amateur boxing bringing home a lot of medals in various international competitions.
Cycling road race in CubaCuba has sent athletes to the Summer Olympic Games since 1900, but never participated in the Winter Games. They have won over 200 medals, with their best results from the 1992 Barcelona Games where they took home 31 medals, 14 of which were gold medals. Their best performing event is boxing followed by athletics.
Cuba is the most successful country that has participated in the Summer Olympics without ever attending the Winter Games. They are also the fifth highest number of medals among the countries who have never hosted the Olympic Games.
Below are details of sports, sporting events and sports people related to Cuba.
Popular sports of Cuba
- Baseball (pelota), Football (soccer), Basketball, Track & Field, Boxing and Volleyball
Cuba's Sporting Success
- Winners of the 2012 Caribbean Cup (football).
- Winners of the Baseball World Cup 25 times
Great athletes from Cuba
- Alberto Juantorena (Track and Field) - high jump world record holder since 1993
- Adriana Muñoz (Track and Field)
- Teófilo Stevenson (boxing) - three-time Olympic heavyweight boxing champion from 1972 to 1980
- Pedro Luis Lazo (baseball)
- Regla Torres (volleyball)
- Leonel Marshall (volleyball)
- Mijaín Lopez, Greco-Roman wrestler, is the first Olympian to win a gold medal in the same event five straight times
Cuba Sports trivia
- The Cuban National football team took part in the 1938 World Cup, qualifying by default after most other CONCACAF teams withdrew in protest.
- Albertson Van Zo Post of Cuba took the gold medal in Singlesticks, a fencing event at the 1904 Olympics.
Cuba at major events
Past sporting events hosted in Cuba
- 1930 Central American and Caribbean Games, in Havana
- 1939-1943, 1952, 1971, 1973, 1984, 2003 Baseball World Cup
- 1974 Men's World Boxing Championships in Havana
Upcoming sporting events in Cuba
Annual sporting events held in Cuba
Sporting Facilities in Cuba
- Latin American Stadium (Estadio Latinoamericano) in Havana, previously El Cerro.
- Near Cojimar (Estadio Panamericano) in Cojimar, Havana
- National Institute of Sport, Physical Education and Recreation (INDER)
Other
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