## Cuban Athletes Gear Up for Major International Competitions in 2025
Cuban athletes are setting their sights on international success in 2025, with the second edition of the Junior Pan american Games in Asunción, Paraguay, and the sixth Junior Parapan American Games in Santiago, Chile, taking center stage.
The Asunción Games, scheduled from August 9th to 23rd, are expected to draw over 4,200 athletes from 41 countries. Meanwhile, the Santiago games in November will welcome 3,800 athletes with disabilities representing over 20 nations.
The next four months will be crucial for Cuban athletes aiming to secure spots in Asunción. With 54 qualifying berths already secured across five disciplines, the focus will be on earning additional slots through direct qualifying tournaments or rankings, with the deadline set for April 30th.
Cuba has already secured spots in several disciplines, including men’s handball (14 athletes), canoeing (5 female and 5 male), cycling (1 female and 2 male), skating (2 female and 1 male), volleyball (12 female and 12 male), and beach volleyball (2 female and 2 male).
Other disciplines vying for qualification include badminton, women’s handball, field hockey, judo, weightlifting, wrestling, taekwondo, shooting, archery, triathlon, and sailing. Seven disciplines are still awaiting the release of their qualification manuals: diving, swimming, synchronized swimming, basketball, athletics, tennis, and table tennis.
José Antonio Miranda, director General of High Performance at the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education, and Recreation (Inder), confirmed that the qualification process has been finalized for skating, canoeing, volleyball, beach volleyball, artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, men’s handball, and karate.Cuba’s performance at the inaugural Junior Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia, in 2021, serves as a benchmark for success. The nation secured fifth place with a delegation of 212 athletes who clinched 29 gold, 19 silver, and 22 bronze medals. athletics and wrestling dominated, each claiming nine gold medals, followed by boxing (4), diving (2), judo (2), canoeing (2), and table tennis (1).
these upcoming Games hold notable weight as thay mark the beginning of the Olympic cycle culminating in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and Paralympics.
Looking ahead, Cuban athletes will also be preparing for the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and the 2027 Pan American and Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru. [[1]] [[2]] [[3]]
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