S P O R T S

• Cuba takes back the crown, thanks to triple by Urgellés
November 20, 2006
TAICHUNG, Chinese Taipei.—Cuba attained its goal in the 16th Intercontinental Cup: to win the crown of that competition for the 10th time in the history of that tournament, in three assists, with a 6-3 win over Holland, a fierce rival that did not fall without first giving battle.

• WOMEN’S WORLD VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Cuba aims for the finals
November 2, 2006
BRAZIL looked to be the favorite for the Women’s World Volleyball Championship, which began on October 31 in several cities in Japan, where the Brazilians arrived emboldened by their recent success at the Grand Prix. The South American players are hoping to shed their reputation for losing major events like the Olympics and world championships, where they have never been able to come out on top.

• Rogge acknowledges Cuba’s extraordinary contribution to the international sports movement
November 1, 2006
CONTRIBUTING to sports being more attractive for young and old alike and encouraging the practice of sports...

• President of IOC begins visit to Cuba
October 31, 2006
HAVANA, October 31 (PL) —. Belgian Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) begins his second visit to Cuba today to participate in the International Sport for All Congress from November 1 to 3.
- Baseball players on the way to Taipei

• Cuba wins Boxing Nations Cup
October 24, 2006
BAKU, October 21 (AIN).— Olympic champion Odlanier Solís proved himself once again as the great fighter that he is by beating (RSC) Islam Timurziyev in the third round, bringing Cuba’s final score against Russia to 6-5, thus winning the Boxing Nations Cup.

• IOC and FIFA presidents to attend the World Sports Congress
October 13, 2006
AT a time when the world of baseball is immersed in a battle to return to the Olympic program from which it was excluded by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), President Jacques Rogge is to travel to Cuba where baseball is the king of sports. Rogge has confirmed his participation at the World Sports Congress in Havana – from October 31 to November 3, said José Ramón Fernández, president of the event’s organizing committee.

• SEPTEMBER 17 TO 27
Baseball Junior Youth Championship in Central Cuba
September 15, 2006
SANCTI Spíritus province, in central Cuba, was ready at the close of this edition to host the Baseball Junior World Championship from September 17 to 27 with the participation of 13 teams, according to the organizing committee, PL reported. José Antonio Huelga Stadium in the city of Sancti Spíritus, about 350 kilometers east of Havana, is the main venue. The Group A teams, consisting of Cuba, South Korea, Panama, Australia, Holland and South Africa will be playing here.

• U.S. hoping to recoup baseball championship titles
September 12, 2006
THE United States is anxious to demonstrate that it has the greatest baseball team in the world, affirmed Davey Johnson, manager of the U.S. team that won the Olympic-qualifying tournament for the Americas in that sport.

• PRE-OLYMPIC BASEBALL TOURNAMENT OF THE AMERICAS
U.S. beats Cuba and both win direct entry to Beijing
September 6, 2006
THIS time there were no surprises. The United States and Cuba, the two most recent Olympic baseball champions, dominated the Pre-Olympic Tournament of the Americas, finishing with direct entries to the 2008 Beijing Games.

• Cuban baseball to Beijing Olympics
September 4, 2006
FRANK Montieth demonstrated that he has all he needs to go far in his career upon shutting down the Mexican team, a victory with which Cuba secured, for the fifth time, a place in the Olympics, in this occasion in Beijing 2008. In the other game of the evening, the U.S. defeated Panama and won the other slot in the competition.

• Baseball pre-Olympic heads into second and final stage
September 1, 2006
THE Pre-Olympic Baseball Tournament of the Americas moves today into its second stage, covering eight teams from the Western Hemisphere, including Cuba as the only unbeaten team.

• BASEBALL PRE-OLYMPIC
Cuba: only unbeaten team
August 31, 2006
THE Cuban national baseball selection finished the first round of the Pre-Olympic Tournament of the Americas as the only unbeaten team, after trouncing Ecuador 15-1 on Wednesday night, August 30.

• Pre-Olympic team selected
August 25, 2006
UNDER the direction of Rey Vicente Anglada, Cuba is to present a team made up of 24 baseball players, of whom 21 participated in the 1st World Classic, with the sole objective of winning one of the two slots for the 08 Beijing Olympics awarded by the 3rd Pre-Olympic Baseball tournament, scheduled to open today at 8:00 p.m. in Havana’s Latin America stadium.
- Favorites are Cuba and U.S.

• WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
“The Cubans talk with us like friends”
August 14, 2006
CUBANS’ passion for baseball, along with their interest in dialogue, surprised the players from the U.S. team participating in the University World Championships.

• Central American and Caribbean Games pose a challenge from now
July 31, 2006
CARTAGENA.—Many colleagues asked me in the first week of the 20th Central American and Caribbean Games if I believed that Cuba would win in the end, thus registering their surprise at the unsuspected lead maintained by Mexico in the general medals table.

• Crushing force of Cuban athletics
July 28, 2006
CARTAGENA, July 28.—Cartagena fans only have words of acknowledgement for the devastating force of Cuban representatives in the athletics meet of the 20th Central American and Caribbean Games, says a PL cable from this city.
- Cuba’s Day of National Rebellion also has a presence at Central American and Caribbean Games

• Cuba leads in medals at the Central American and Caribbean Games
July 17, 2006
CARTAGENA, Colombia July 17 (PL).— Cuba’s athletes gave outstanding performances in canoeing and other sports, enough to displace Mexico from the top of the 20th Central American and Caribbean Games, Cartagena 2006, which are going into their third day today.

• Cuban footballers dreaming of 2010 World Cup
July 6, 2006
WITH their loyalties divided between Argentina, Brazil and Italy, members of Cuba’s national football team haven’t missed a single World cup match and are dreaming of the 2010 tournament. "If Trinidad and Tobago and Costa Rica qualified, why can’t we?" asked Odelín Molina, the island’s captain.

• CENTRAL AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN GAMES
Cuba intends to recover regional baseball title
June 27, 2006
THE Cuban baseball pre-selection team has begun its final training for the Central American and Caribbean Games, scheduled for July 15-30 in Colombia, with the intention of recovering the regional title.

• 11TH WORLD CONGRESS OF SPORTS FOR ALL
Cuba advocates baseball’s return to Olympic program
June 16, 2006
CUBA is going to take advantage of a visit to the island by International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge in October to advocate baseball’s return to the Olympic Games, affirmed José Ramón Fernández, president of the Cuban Olympic Committee.

• Hopes that World Cup will ignite passion for soccer in Cuban youth
June 9, 2006
IN Cuba, where soccer stands in the shadows of baseball, it is hoped that the World Cup Germany will finally ignite a passion for the sport in Cuban youth.

• Industriales win National Baseball Series
May 31, 2006
SANTIAGO DE CUBA.— For the third time in the last five years, Industriales were crowned champions of the National Baseball Series, and on this occasion it took place far from their home ground: a 4-1 victory at the Guillermón Moncada stadium against the team from Santiago de Cuba, that combined a tremendous performance from right-handed pitcher Frank Montieth and a decisive home run by first baseman Alexander Mayeta.

• IOC president to attend Sport For All congress in Havana
May 23, 2006
JACQUES Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), is to attend the 11th Sport For All Congress, scheduled to take place in Havana next October.

• The rain keeps Santiago and Industriales waiting
May 19, 2006
SANTIAGO DE CUBA—The National Baseball Directorate (DNB), taking into account the continuous rain in this eastern province, decided to postpone until today, Friday May 19, at 9 pm, the continuation of the inaugural game of the National Baseball Series finals at Guillermón Moncada stadium, stopped at the bottom of the first inning last Wednesday.

• CUBAN BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Industriales and Santiago to dispute the title
May 15, 2006
THE Industriales team is to play against Santiago de Cuba for the title of the 45th Cuban Baseball Championship, after winning the semifinal against Sancti Spíritus on Sunday, May 14, at José Antonio Huelga Stadium in the city of Sancti Spíritus.

• 3RD CUBAN SPORTS OLYMPIAD
Occidentales the winner with 127 gold medals
May 8, 2006
PRESIDENT Fidel Castro presented the awards to athletes and teams that won the most medals in the 3rd Cuban Sports Olympiad, and attended the closing ceremony. Christian Jiménez, president of the Cuban Sports Institute, who gave the closing speech, described the event as "the festival of sports and solidarity" and called for another round in 2008.

• U.S. government denies visas to its boxers
April 26, 2006
THE U.S. government has refused travel permits to its boxing team, whose members were hoping to compete in the 3rd Cuban Olympiad, according to Sarbelio Fuentes, chief trainer of the island’s national selection.

• Fidel inaugurates 3rd Cuban Olympiad
April 25, 2006
PRESIDENT Fidel Castro has opened the 3rd Cuban Sports Olympiad that takes place April 24 to May 6 and, as he put it, will follow the impetus given by the island’s success in the Baseball World Classic.

• Cuban Olympiad inauguration today
April 24, 2006
WITH a parade featuring representatives of the participating delegations, the 3rd Cuban Sports Olympiad is to be inaugurated today in Havana.

• Record number of foreign athletes in Cuban Olympiad
April 21, 2006
WITH participation by more than 1,400 foreign athletes, the 3rd Cuban Sports Olympiad sets a record for the event, according to Manuel Trobajo, programming director of the National Sports Institute, in comments on Thursday, April 20.

• Havana welcomes them home on Tuesday 21
March 22, 2006
Men, women and children began lining some of Havana’s main streets from the early afternoon for the mass welcome home of our baseball players, creating a true demonstration of popular jubilation.

• Fidel reaffirms Cuba to donate World Classic prize money to Katrina victims
March 22, 2006
CUBA is to donate its earnings as runner-up in the 1st World Baseball Classic to victims of Hurricane Katrina in the southern United States, reaffirmed President Fidel Castro at the end of his welcoming speech to the brilliant Cuban team.

• Cubans at the top; a real feat!
March 21, 2006
SAN DIEGO—Japan brought out its best pitching, accompanied by timely offense play, to beat Cuba’s team 10-6 and carry off the championship title of the 1st World Baseball Classic.

• WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC
CUBA vs. JAPAN
March 20, 2006
SAN DIEGO, California—Nobody expected a final like today’s will be. There were a lot of favorites to compete for this title. But by their own merits and their players’ drive, two nations recognized as powerhouses in the international sphere, Cuba and Japan, will go out onto Petco Park field to seek the championship of the 1st World Baseball Classic.

• Cuban Baseball in San Diego
March 17, 2006
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico.—It is not easy to organize one’s thoughts only a few hours after a historic moment in Cuban baseball. But there is no way around it: suitcases must be packed and loaded on the plane that will bring all the delegation members to the city of San Diego.

• Cuba among the top four
Odelín, two golden innings. Cuba settles its score with Puerto Rico. Today, on to San Diego
March 16, 2006
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—In a game that will go down in history as one of the tightest every played at Hiram Bithorn Stadium, Cuba beat Puerto Rico, just barely, becoming the second semifinalist in the first World Baseball Classic.
 Message from René to the Cuban baseball players

• WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC
Cuba vs. Puerto Rico today
March 15, 2006
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—The Hiram Bithorn Stadium is going to fill up to bursting point for the second time. Everyone here wants to see another game between Cuba and Puerto Rico, only this time it will be very tense: whoever wins will pack their bags and head to San Diego, California. Whoever loses goes home.
- Japan beats Mexico and nothing decided in the other group

• Cuba... Yes, we can do it!
March 13, 2006
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—Cuba has demonstrated that it can go head-to-head with a team of Major League players by beating Venezuela’s super-strong selection, taking that victory in the opening of the second round of the first World Baseball Classic.

• Cuba among the top eight of baseball
March 10, 2006
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—Cuba has swept to victory against Holland, in its second consecutive win, thus assuring its place among the top eight countries in the World Baseball Classic and going on to the second stage of the tournament.

• Cuba beats Panama in dramatic World Baseball Classic game
March 9, 2006
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico— If someone doubted that the Cuban players were going to "give it their all," yesterday’s triumphant game against Panama has proven it, after being up against the wall on several occasions before pulling out a win in this First Baseball World Classic.

• Cuba and Panama at World Baseball Classic
Pedro Luis Lazo vs. Bruce Chen
March 8, 2006
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—Cuba’s team will go head to head against Major League players for the first time in an official tournament today when, at 2 p.m. (local time and Cuban time), the game begins between Cuba and Panama, as part of Group C of the World Baseball Classic.

• Fidel receives national baseball team
March 4, 2006
ON Sunday, March 5, at the Palace of the Revolution, President Fidel Castro Ruz received the selection for the national baseball team that is representing Cuba at the World Baseball Classic, minutes after they were presented with the national flag at the José Martí national monument.

• Cuba’s 30-strong team for World Classic announced
March 3, 2006
THE national baseball team that will represent Cuba in the World Classic was announced yesterday, March 2, during the televised "Roundtable" program on that event, which also gave the timetable for broadcasts of the tournament on Cuban radio and TV.

• WORLD CLASSIC
"Tremendous" challenge for Cuba
March 2, 2006
CUBA has a "tremendous" challenge in the Baseball World Classic and the first game against Panama is critical, affirmed the legendary shortstop Germán Mesa. "The first game with Panama (March 8) must be met with full force; in a short tournament you have to start off winning, there’s no other option," Mesa said in an interview with Granma International.
- Today’s "Roundtable": World Baseball Classic and Cuban participation

• Today’s "Roundtable": World Baseball Classic and Cuban participation
March 2, 2006
TODAY at 6:30 p.m. Cubavision, Canal Educativo, Cubavision Internacional, Radio Rebelde and Radio Habana Cuba are to broadcast an "Informative Roundtable" on the World Baseball Classic and Cuba’s participation in it, during which the final Cuba National team selection will be announced along with the radio and TV broadcasting schedule for the first phase of the competition and other related news of interest.

• Fourth crown for Cuban Pedro Pablo in the Cycle Tour of Cuba
February 20, 2006
CUBAN Pedro Pablo Pérez was declared fourth-time champion of the 21st Cycle Tour of Cuba Cuba race that concluded this Sunday in the Plaza de la Revolution for the first time in the history of the competition.

• Cuba optimistic over baseball being restored to the Olympic program
February 9, 2006
HAVANA (AP) — The unity demonstrated by the baseball community regarding Cuba’s participation in the World Classic will positively influence the return of the sport to the Olympic program, affirmed José Ramón Fernández., president of the Cuban Olympic Committee.

• Fidel confirms that Cuba is to participate in the Baseball World Classic
January 31, 2006
 PRESIDENT Fidel Castro has confirmed Cuba’s participation in the Baseball World Classic scheduled for March. “We shall be at the Baseball Classic to fight square and fair,” said Fidel during a dialogue with the press beside the José Martí Anti-imperialist Tribunal facing the U.S. Interests Section in Havana

• Cuban Cycling Federation protests visa denial
January 20, 2006
THE Cuban Cycling Federation (FCC) expressed an energetic protest yesterday (January 20) regarding the denial of U.S. entry visas to athletes Yoanka González Pérez and Yumari González Valdivieso and trainer Leonel Álvarez Díaz, who were to participate in the third stage of the World Cup in Los Angeles, California, from January 20 to 22.

• Cuba satisfied with anti-doping tests leading up to Central American Games
January 17, 2006
CUBA has expressed satisfaction over the decision to carry out anti-doping tests on its athletes before their participation in the Central America and Caribbean games in July, because it will contribute to the competition being “cleaner.”

• Las Tunas and the Isle of Youth leading National Baseball Series
January 10, 2006
THE Isle of Youth swept to victory in its three games against Holguín, setting a 27-12 score sheet and tying with Las Tunas to lead the National Baseball Series.

 

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