Guantanamo.- The Guantánamo born Yarisleidis Cirilo secured a silver medal in the C1-200 meter race at the recent the premier event in sprint canoeing, at the World Cup held in Szeged, Hungary. She clocked an impressive time of 44.19 seconds, narrowly behind Ukraine’s Liudmyla Luzan, who took gold in 43.23 seconds. Another Ukrainian athlete, Iryna Fedoriv, completed the podium with bronze in 44.35 seconds.
This achievement adds to Cirilo’s growing list of accolades, including the Olympic bronze medal she earned at the Paris 2024 Games. The timing was particularly special as Cirilo celebrated her 24th birthday on the day of the competition, coinciding with Mother’s Day in Cuba and other nations. Her victory served as a heartfelt tribute to her mother, Yaritza Dubois, and symbolically honored mothers throughout the island.
In addition to her individual success, Cirilo teamed up with Yinnolis Franchesca López to claim the 200-meter double canoe title the previous day, marking their first major win as a duo in the elite category. Their victory saw them finish ahead of strong crews from China and Uzbekistan, underscoring Cuba’s rising prominence in international sprint canoeing.
The Szeged World Cup is a crucial event at the start of the Olympic cycle, offering important qualification points and rankings for the Los Angeles 2028 Games. Cirilo and López are set to compete next at the World Cup’s second stage in Brandenburg, Germany, scheduled for May 14 to 17, aiming to build on their outstanding performances.
