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CAMAGÜEY.- Matanzas' boxer Andy Cruz became champion of the -63 kilogram division and with this he elevated Cuba to the fourteenth seat of the final medal table by countries of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, after experiencing his last day this morning.

In one of the most even fights of the boxing contest, the man from Matanzas had a better finish than the American Keyshawn Davis and deserved the vote divided in favor 4-1. The Creole came out in front in the first round 4-1 without using himself thoroughly and respecting the quality of his opponent, who came out to demand victory in the second and managed to get all the judges to tip the fight in his favor 0-5. However, in the last round the Cuban was not a prey to despair and took a clear advantage with an effective fencing of entrances and exits.

Thus he completed the total success in the cycle, with crowns in Central American, Pan American, World and Olympic Games and remained undefeated against Davis, whom he has surpassed four times. To all this add that he has only fallen once in the last five years.

With its gold medal, the delegation of the Greater Antilles completed the booty of seven titles, three silver and five bronzes and rose to 14th place in the final table. The national performance is the best of the last four summer events, even in the total number of medals, successfully breaking the pre-competition forecasts, which were five crowns and being in the top20.

However, the supremacy of Latin America was lost again as five years ago in Rio de Janeiro, as Brazil anchored in the twelfth place with 7-6-8. Meanwhile, among the groups from the American continent we were the fourth, behind Brazilians, Canadians and Americans. Although it is time to celebrate these merits, it would not be productive to get drunk and forget that in this cycle we lost first place in the Central Americans in Barranquilla to Mexico and fell to sixth in the Pan American Games in Lima.

Returning to action on the Tokyo grounds, this was a memorable final day as China and the United States vie for the top of the medal table. The North Americans achieved a golden ERA in three finals and displaced the Asians on the finish line, who could only add a first place. Crucial to the comeback were the victories of the women's volleyball team and that of cyclist Jennifer Valente in the Omnium event. Thus, the podium by countries was as follows: the United States (39-41-33), China (38-32-18) and Japan in a historic third step with (27-14-17).

To conclude, the organizers showed all the power of their technology in the dazzling closing ceremony, where the president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, described the games as "successful despite all the difficulties of our time." Tokyo 2020, the sports meeting that the coronavirus pandemic delayed a year and threatened to suspend, was an oasis of happiness and hope for the world in recent weeks.

The Olympic flame will pass into the hands of the French authorities in charge of organizing the Paris 2024 edition within three years, a show that already looks masterful and in which it is expected to reopen the doors to fans and tourists. But first, the Japanese capital will host the best of Paralympic sport starting next August 24 and Cuba will also be at the party.

Translated by Linet Acuña Quilez