Sandra Arenas Claims Colombia’s First-Ever Olympic Medal in Women’s 20 Kilometer Walk at Tokyo Games

Posted on August 6, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

The third time’s the charm for Sandra Arenas.

The 27-year-old Colombian race walker and three-time Olympian claimed the silver medal in the women’s 20 kilometer walk competition at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Arenas completed the race with a time of 1:29:37 to give Colombia its first-ever medal in this modality.

“The truth is I feel very happy. I worked very hard for this, and I’ve dreamed about it for years,” says Arenas of her silver, which she dedicated to those who never believed in her.

Italy’s Antonella Palmisano claimed top spot after producing a sensational performance and finishing in a time of 1:29:12.

Drama in the late stages saw defending champion Liu Hong grasp bronze from the hands of Brazil’s Erica Rocha de Sena, who could only watch on in despair from the penalty box.

It’s a dramatic improvement for Arenas at the Olympics… She’s previously placed 32nd in the women’s 20 kilometer road walk competition at both the 2012 London Games and the 2016 Rio Games.

Ariel Torres Gives Team USA First-Ever Olympic Medal in Karate at Tokyo Games

Posted on August 6, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Ariel Torres has given America is first-ever Olympic medal in karate…

The 23-year-old Cuban-born American karateka took home the bronze in the men’s kata event, the non-fighting karate discipline known as “forms,” at the 2020 Tokyo Games in the sport’s Olympic debut.

Torres outscored Venezuela’s Antonio Jose Diaz Fernandez 26.72-26.34 for the bronze.

“All the Glory To GOD!” Torres wrote on Twitter shortly after winning his medal. “My family… WE DID IT!!!!!!!!! Thank you for always supporting my dream and for all the sacrifices you made for me to keep fighting.”

Japan’s Ryo Kiyuna won gold and Spain’s Damian Quintero took the silver, while Turkey’s Ali Sofuoglu beat South Korea’s Heejun Park for the second bronze of the event.

Scoring is based on 10 criteria. Athletes are evaluated on seven technical points (stances, techniques, transitional movements, timing, correct breathing, focus and conformance) as well as three athletic points (strength, speed and balance).

There are seven judges, each of whom gives a score between 5 and 10, in increments of 0.2 points, for both technical and athletic performance. The highest two and lowest two scores from each is dropped, and the remaining three scores are added together. Technical performance counts for 70 percent of an athlete’s final score. Athletic performance counts for the remaining 30 percent.

Karate was one of four new sports added to the sports programme for the Tokyo Olympics, joining skateboarding, sports climbing and surfing. Softball and baseball also made their return to the games for the first time since 2008.

Spain’s Damián Quintero Claims Silver in Inaugural Men’s Kata Event at Tokyo Games

Posted on August 6, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a special first for Damián Quintero…

The Argentine Spanish karateka has claimed his first Olympic medal, taking home the silver in the men’s kata event at the 2020 Tokyo Games in the sport’s Olympic debut.

Quintero lost the final bout to Japan’s Ryo Kiyuna by a score of 28.72 to 27.66.

“I promised, I promised myself: I wanted to come to the Olympics to enjoy and I have enjoyed like a kid today. I have given it my everything. Those of you who know me know that I always look sulky when I lose, but not today, today I said to myself: come out smiling in the photo because an Olympic medal for a karate fighter is a big deal. And it doesn’t matter the color,” he said.

Turkey’s Ali Sofuoglu and Ariel Torres Gutierrez of the United States won the bronze medals.

It’s the second kata medal for Spain at this year’s Olympics, following Sandra Sanchez’s gold-medal performance in the women’s kata event.

Julio César La Cruz Claims Heavyweight Boxing Gold at Tokyo Games

Posted on August 6, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

It’s new weight class, same result for Julio César La Cruz.

The 31-year-old Cuban amateur boxer soundly defeated the Russian Olympic Committee’s Muslim Gadzhimagomedov to claim the heavyweight boxing title at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

La Cruz put on a defensive masterclass in his 5:0 win to add the gold medal in a second weight class after winning the gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 2016 Rio Games.

“To win Olympic gold is really very, very tough, and it requires everything really from the boxer,” La Cruz said. “The fighter has to give it his best. All of the boxers are at a very, very top level here, and to reach that gold medal requires hard work and sacrifice.”

It’s the third boxing gold for Cuba at this year’s Games.

La Cruz’s compatriots Roniel Iglesias and Arlen López also moved up one weight class from their previous championship divisions to claim their second golds.

An extraordinary feat has been made common by these three Cuban stars, and they’re aware of the importance of their achievements in their nation’s decorated boxing history.

“We have great talent in our ranks, so we’re confident,” La Cruz said through a translator. “We just have to prepare, train hard and focus on the objective.”

Mariafe Artacho del Solar Takes Home Silver in Women’s Beach Volleyball at Tokyo Games

Posted on August 6, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

It may not be the color she’d aimed for, but Mariafe Artacho del Solar is officially an Olympic medalist…

The 27-year-old Peruvian Australian beach volleyball player and her partner Taliqua Clancy claimed the silver medal in women’s beach volleyball at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Artacho del Solar and Clancy, who upset the World No. 1 and reigning world champions Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes of Canada, in the quarterfinals, lost their gold medal match to Team USA’s April Ross and Alix Klineman in straight sets (15-21, 16-21).

According to volleyballmag.com, the teams played against each other five times before meeting at the Olympics with the Australians holding a 3-2 edge. Artacho del Solar and Clancy won the most recent match on May 1 in the semifinals of the FIVB Cancun four-star tournament.

This is Artacho del Solar’s first Olympic medal. She made her Games debut at the 2016 Rio Games with then-partner Nicole Laird, where they finished in 19th place.

Spain’s Alberto Ginés López Claims Maiden Men’s Combined Sport Climbing Olympic Gold at Tokyo Games

Posted on August 5, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

He may only be a teenager, but Alberto Ginés López is already reaching new heights

The 18-year-old Spanish professional rock climber claimed the first-ever Olympic gold medal in the men’s combined sport climbing competition at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Gines Lopez pulled off a stunning triumph after a thrilling end to a closely contested final.

Lopez laid down a marker from the very start by winning the speed discipline. The Spaniard upset Japan’s Tomoa Narasaki in the last race in a dramatic final clash.

Narasaki slipped at the start which allowed Spaniard Lopez to storm to victory in 6.42 seconds.

Replays showed Narasaki could have been on track for one of his fastest times before he slipped as he tried to skip over a hold.

“It’s a dream come true. I didn’t expect it at all. I didn’t expect to get into the final. A dream come true,” Gines Lopez told reporters.

Nathaniel Coleman of the United States took home the silver medal, while Austria’s Jakob Schubert overcame a huge deficit in the standings to emerge top in the competition’s deciding event and bag the bronze.

The sport’s Olympic debut has also displayed its athletes’ close camaraderie, with climbers often seen discussing routes and sharing tips ahead of the different challenges, as well as unexpected twists.

Pedro Barros Wins Skateboarding Silver in Men’s Park Competition at Tokyo Games

Posted on August 5, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Pedro Barros is officially an Olympic medalist…

The 26-year-old Brazilian skateboarder claimed the silver in the men’s park skateboarding competition at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Barros finished the competition with a score of 86.14, behind Australia’s Keegan Palmer, who won gold with a score of 95.83.

Cory Juneau took bronze, the second skateboarding medal for the United States, with a score of 84.13.

It was Brazil’s third medal — all silvers — from skateboarding in Tokyo.

Sandra Sánchez Claims Maiden Gold in Women’s Kata Competition at Tokyo Games

Posted on August 5, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Sandra Sánchez is having her golden moment…

The 39-year-old Spanish karateka, known as the “Queen of Kata,” has claimed the first-ever gold medal in karate after winning the women’s kata competition at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Sanchez defeated Japan‘s Kiyou Shimizu at the Nippon Budokan, known as the spiritual home of Japanese martial arts.

Shimizu scored 27.88 points to finish 0.18 point behind the Spanish reigning world champion in the event in which athletes compete to execute a series of movements more proficiently than their opponents.

In the event, karateka perform kata that consists of offensive and defensive movements targeting a nonexistent opponent. They are scored based on their technical and athletic performance.

The other competition, kumite, features three-minute bouts and is divided into three weight classes for both men and women.

Spain’s Nicolás Rodríguez & Jordi Xammar Claim Sailing Bronze at Tokyo Games

Posted on August 4, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Nicolás Rodríguez and Jordi Xammar have sailed their way to the medal podium…

The 30-year-old and 27-year-old Spanish sailors claimed the bronze in the Men’s 470 sailing competition at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Rodriguez and Xammar earned a total of 55 points to stave off the New Zealand team for the bronze.

Mathew Belcher and Will Ryan of Australia won gold with 23 points.

Sweden’s Anton Dahlberg and Fredrik Bergstrom won silver with 45 points.

Cuba’s Arlen López Claims Gold in Men’s Light Heavyweight Division at Tokyo Games

Posted on August 4, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

He may have changed divisions, but the result was still the same for Arlen López…

The 28-year-old Cuban boxer defeated Great Britain’s Benjamin Whittaker to claim boxing gold in the men’s light heavyweight division at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Lopez outclassed the defense-minded Whittaker to win the fight on four of the five judges’ scorecards.

Cuba had never won gold at light heavyweight in its decorated Olympic boxing history until Julio Cesar La Cruz claimed the title at the 2016 Rio Games.

Lopez is the second Cuban boxer in two days to win a second gold medal in a different weight class by beating a British fighter after Roniel Iglesias achieved the same feat Tuesday.

Lopez previously won the middleweight division at the 2016 Rio Games.

Cuban-born Loren Alfonso of Azerbaijan won the light heavyweight bronze medals after losing to Lopez in the semifinals.

Russian athlete Imam Khataev claimed the second gold.

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Celebrating the Latino Influence

Category Archives: Olimpíadas

Sandra Arenas Claims Colombia’s First-Ever Olympic Medal in Women’s 20 Kilometer Walk at Tokyo Games

Ariel Torres Gives Team USA First-Ever Olympic Medal in Karate at Tokyo Games

Spain’s Damián Quintero Claims Silver in Inaugural Men’s Kata Event at Tokyo Games

Julio César La Cruz Claims Heavyweight Boxing Gold at Tokyo Games

Mariafe Artacho del Solar Takes Home Silver in Women’s Beach Volleyball at Tokyo Games

Spain’s Alberto Ginés López Claims Maiden Men’s Combined Sport Climbing Olympic Gold at Tokyo Games

Pedro Barros Wins Skateboarding Silver in Men’s Park Competition at Tokyo Games

Sandra Sánchez Claims Maiden Gold in Women’s Kata Competition at Tokyo Games

Spain’s Nicolás Rodríguez & Jordi Xammar Claim Sailing Bronze at Tokyo Games

Cuba’s Arlen López Claims Gold in Men’s Light Heavyweight Division at Tokyo Games