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Cuba earn the Olympic ticket at NORCECA Continental Cup Finals

COLIMA, Mexico, June 27, 2021. - Cuba earned the Tokyo Olympic ticket against Mexico at the NORCECA Continental Cup Finals in Colima, Mexico.

 

Under persistent and heavy rain for most of the series, Cuba stormed past Mexico winning both matches two sets to qualify to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

 

Lidy Echevarría and Yanisleydis Sanchez defeated Martha Revuelta and Zaira Orellana 21-15, 21-15.  In the first, Martha and Zaira kept Cuba’s strength under control up to an even 8pts, but their consecutive unforced errors gave Lidy and Yanisleydis a chance to adjust and snatch a comfortable 21-15 win. In the second set, the Cuban duo worked well against Mexico’s blocks jumping to a 10-7 lead; despite Martha’s offense strategy and Zaira’s blocking efforts they had no difficulties in putting the series in favor of Cuba.  

 

Leila Martinez and Mailen Deliz strong defense and offense skills were tough for Mexico’s duo of Susana Torres and María José Quintero. The match had a couple of good rallies and great defense from Maria Jose, but Leila and Mailen didn’t take long to edge the young Mexican team and seal Cuba’s ticket to Tokyo.

 

Lidy expressed “it’s a wonderful feeling; we have trained a lot, day and night, until we dropped with great sacrifices. Our coaches demanded a lot from the entire team because they knew that reaching our goal was hard. Four years ago we lost the ticket and we didn’t want that to happen again. I congratulate my teammates and I am very satisfied with our feat to qualify Cuba to the Olympic Games”.

 

Mailen added, “I have no words to express what I feel, I only know that the victory comes with great sacrifice during the past four years, we have practiced tough and competed at every level. I believe we deserved to be in Tokyo. Since we arrived we had our minds set on only winning, giving our best effort and storming past Mexico to win for all Cuba who was waiting for us to qualify to the Olympic Games”.

 

Puerto Rico finished in third place with a strong 2-0 victory over Guatemala in the bronze medal series. María González and Allanis Navas PUR-1 defeated GUA-1 of Estefanie Bethancourt and Natalia Girón 2-0 (21-15, 21-12); Lara Torruella and Lina Bernier PUR-2 beat GUA-2 of Paola Alvarado and Ana Sofía Arévalo 2-0 (21-8, 21-8).

 

Women’s Results Sunday

 

Puerto Rico 2, Guatemala 0

María González/Allanis Navas PUR-1 d Estefanie Bethancourt/Natalia Girón GUA-1 (21-15, 21-12)

Lara Torruella/Lina Bernier PUR-2 d Paola Alvarado/Ana Sofía Arévalo GUA-2 (21-8, 21-8)

 

Cuba 2, Mexico 0

Lidianny Echevarría/Yanisleydis Sanchez CUB-1 d Martha Revuelta/Zaira Orellana  MEX-1 (21-15, 21-15)

Leila Martinez/Mailen Deliz CUB-2 d Susana Torres/María José Quintero MEX-2 (21-16, 21-7)