Puerto Rican wins the high jump and Colombian the long in Central American

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SAN SALVADOR (AP) — A Puerto Rican danced wrapped in the Monestrella flag, after winning a very tight duel in the high jump. A Colombian shone in the long jump, with gold and a record at the Central American and Caribbean Games, on a night in which Venezuela achieved not one, but two regional records.

And San Salvador crowned the queen and king of speed, in a semi-empty Jorge “Mágico” González stadium, where emotions abounded.

At the end of the party, the protagonist was Luis Joel Castro, who jumped over the bar 2.25 meters high, the same as the Cuban Luis Zayas did.

It was the Puerto Rican who climbed to the top of the podium, for having achieved the mark in fewer attempts. Puerto Rico did not get a gold in the high jump since Guatemala 1950, .

Shaun Miller Jr. earned bronze for the Bahamas.

Natalia Linares established a new record for the Games, with 6.86 meters, destroying by nine centimeters the one set by the Trinidadian Rhonda Watkins in Mayagüez 2010.

With such a record, the Colombian has secured her ticket to the August World Cup in Budapest and to the Olympic Games next year in Paris.

“I never imagined that I would advance to those two events and with a record. She is crazy, ”said the 20-year-old athlete, originally from Valledupar. “The first jump gave it to me. We had been training so that this would give us the victory and everything happened as planned”.

The silver medal went to the Cuban Leyanis Pérez, with 6.65 meters, and the bronze went to Puerto Rico, with Alysbeth Félix, who jumped 6.44.

Venezuela obtained excellent dividends in the evening, with gold medals and Central American records by Rosa Rodríguez, who threw the hammer at 71.62 meters, and Joselyn Brea, who ran the 5,000 meters in 15:10.60 minutes, a day later. to also win the half marathon.

The 100-meter test was decaffeinated due to the absence of the Jamaican Ackeem Blake, fourth in the world ranking and who has had a record of 9.84 seconds, and the Bahamian Terrence Jones, whose best time is 9.91.

The Guyanese Emanuel Archibald was crowned, with 10.24 seconds, just two hundredths less than the Dominican José Gonzalez, conqueror of the silver. In women, there was a record for the Games, established by Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia, with 11.14.

The Mexican Uziel Muñoz triumphed in the shot put with 20.81 meters.

Mexico and Colombia divided the two diving tests on the day.

Diego Balleza achieved victory for the Mexican delegation in the 10-meter platform at the Polideportivo El Polvorín, with 436.20 points. Colombian Sebastián Villa was second with 413.30 and Cuban Carlos Ramos obtained bronze with 412.70.

It was the second coronation of the Mexican divers, after the one carried out the day before by Diego García on the three-meter springboard.

Colombia pocketed the gold medal in synchronized diving for women. Viviana Uribe and Daniela Zapata added 254.10 points, to surpass the Cubans Anisley García and Prislis Randish, who reached 244.50.

The Mexicans Carolina Mendoza and Abril Navarro received the bronze, with 244.14 units. It was the third gold for Colombia in the diving, after those obtained in both branches from the one-meter springboard on Saturday.

On the day that marked the conclusion of the activity in rhythmic gymnastics, Mexico overwhelmed with six more golds, which allowed it to complete the monopoly of nine in the tests.

The tricolor gymnasts conquered the tests of five rings and three ribbons and two balls. Marina Malpica and Karla Díaz made it 1-2 in the hoop competition. A second gold medal for Malpica came in the ball final, and a third came in the ribbon, where Ledia Juárez completed another 1-2.

In clubs there was 1-2 but with the roles reversed, Juárez on the top rung and in second Malpica, who completed the Mexican sweep with gold on the ribbon, followed again by Juárez.

Mexico began to reap what looks to be a bountiful harvest in archery.

Aída Román, Alejandra Valencia and Ángela Ruiz triumphed 6-0 over Colombia in the team recurve bow final. The bronze went to Guatemala, under the banner of Centro Caribe Sports.

In the same test, but in the men’s division, Mexico was also crowned, with Carlos Rojas, Caleb Urbina and Matías Grande, who also defeated Colombia 5-1.

The third site was for Cuba.

Cuba swept the gold in the 25 meter rapid pistol shooting. The team competition was won, where El Salvador obtained silver and Mexico bronze.

And in the individual modality, he occupied the first three places, with Jorge Álvarez, Jorge Grau and Leuris Pupo, who must present his medal to the Mexican Fidencio González, given the rule that the same country cannot occupy the first three places on the podium in the Central Americans and the Caribbean.

It remains to be seen if González will return the medal to Pupo, as the Cuban Laina Pérez did a few days ago with the Mexican Alejandra Cervantes.

The Mexican team took the victory in the badminton final, 21-13, 21-10 over Centro Caribe Sports, the name of Guatemala for a sanction in these Games. The bronze went to Jamaica, which defeated the hosts.

Country Gold Silver Bronze Total Mexico 101 71 63 235 Colombia 51 50 45 146 Cuba 49 34 40 123 Venezuela 18 30 51 99