The Cuban government gives Peugeot and Mercedes Benz cars as gifts to sports stars
By agreement of the Executive Committee of the Council of Ministers, this Wednesday, January 12, four-time Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling champion Mijaín López received the keys to a Mercedes Benz E-200.
Lopez was selected among the best athletes of 2021 in Cuba, after making history at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, when he was crowned as the only wrestler in the world to have four Olympic gold medals.
The Greco-Roman wrestler was also distinguished with the recognition of Athlete of the Year 2021 in Pinar del Rio, after the sports authorities of that territory rectified their first selection and decided to share that award between him and boxer Roniel Iglesias.
By the way, Iglesias received this Wednesday a Peugeot car as a gift, as well as judo player Idalys Ortiz, who was the best female athlete of 2021 in Cuba.
The other Cuban sports personalities who received a Peugeot are Serguey Torres Madrigal (canoeing); Julio César La Cruz, Andy Cruz, Arlen López and Roniel Iglesias (boxing); Juan Miguel Echevarría, Maikel Massó, Yaimé Pérez (athletics); Omara Durand and her coach Yuniol Kindelán, Leonardo Díaz, Robiel Yankiel Sol and Leinier Savón (paraathletics).
They also awarded a car to the taekwondo player Rafael Alba, the shooter Leuris Pupo, and the free wrestlers Reineris Salas and Luis Alberto Orta.
After the delivery, Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion canoeist Serguey Torres Madrigal said he was grateful for this gesture due to the hard circumstances the country has gone through in the last year.
Torres Madrigal also recognized technicians, doctors, psychologists, physiotherapists and other specialists who support the triumphs and trajectories that were awarded this day in a ceremony held at the Havana Sports City Coliseum.
In January 2021, Olympic champion and current national athletics commissioner Yipsi Moreno was also awarded a car, in addition to athletes or coaches Ibrahim Camejo (athletics), Franklin Standard (basketball), Miguel Lahera (baseball), Rogelio García (baseball), Rey Vicente Anglada (baseball), Juan Hernández Sierra (boxing), Lorenzo Aragón (boxing) and Yosniel Domínguez (canoeing), among 11 other outstanding athletes.
In 2019, the Cuban government gave cars to about 20 members of the Cuban sports movement.
At that time, some of the benefited athletes were Yaimé Pérez, Misleidis González (athletics), Liudis Masso (athletics for the disabled), Ruperto Herrera (basketball), Yulieski González and Tony González (baseball), Ángel Herrera (boxing) and Leonel Álvarez (cycling).
