Cuban male judokas will this month participate in their first competition this year: the National Judo Championship in eastern Las Tunas province.
Cuban judo experts pointed out that the tournament would be the first competition of the new Olympic cycle that will conclude in Beijing in 2008.
In that regard, they said that the competition would allow assessing the situation of the national team, and seeing the prospects of new talents.
The divisions that pose more questions are the 81- and 90-kg categories, which have so far been dominated by veterans Gabriel Arteaga and Yosvani Despaigne.
The list of possible members of the Cuban team also includes Dayan Sánchez (55 kg), Angelo Gómez (60 kg), Yordanis Arencibia (66 kg), Rubert Martínez (73 kg), Oreidis Despaigne (100 kg) and Oscar Braison (+100 kg).
The 55-kg division only competes in Central America, but it is of major importance to Cuba, because the Island expects to win the eight gold medals in dispute at the regional tournament in Colombia in 2006.
By: Dtcuba
