Guantanamo.- Cuban canoeing continues to consolidate its leadership in the region, driven by the performances of Yarisledi Cirilo and Franchesca López, currently the sport’s main figures on the island.
According to coach Hamze, both athletes began their international preparation with a productive training camp in Portugal and they are now training at La Coronela alongside the national pre-selection squad targeting the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo.
Hamze highlighted that both competitors are active in the C-1 and C-2 events, ranking among the top exponents of women’s canoeing. The discipline closed a successful 2025 season, securing the maximum quota of 12 places for Santo Domingo, with Cirilo and López playing leading roles.
At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Cirilo got bronze medal in the C-1 200 meters, while López joined her in the C-2 500 meters, reaching the A final.
In 2025, Cirilo advanced to A finals in the World Cups in Szeged and Poznan, later earning gold and silver medals in the C-1 200 meters at the Under-23 and senior World Championships, held in Portugal and Italy.
Among the men, José Ramón Pelier stood out with gold and silver medals in the C-1 5000 meters at international events.
Franchesca López also received recognition after finishing eighth in the Panam Sports Junior Awards, following her four-medal performance at the Junior Pan American Games in Asunción.
Cuba remains among the countries with full qualification in canoeing, alongside Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, and host nation Dominican Republic. Meanwhile, the rest of the national squad continues its preparation at La Coronela, focused on achieving strong results in Santo Domingo.
Source: CubaSí Portal
