Cuba is considered a force in boxing. The island has been a standout in the sport for years, collecting more than 40 gold medals and turning out boxing legends like Teofilo Stevenson and Jose Napoles. Now, for the first time, women have been given a chance to compete, and they’re got their sights on next year’s Olympic Games in Paris. First, they need to make it through the qualifiers in Thailand this month.
Yakelín Estornell
Like many of her teammates, Yakelín Estornell came from a different sports background. The middleweight had been a former member of the Cuban wrestling team, making the unlikely jump to boxing when she was 37. She works tirelessly at improving her agility and technique every day to boost her natural punching power.
She finds a lot of her motivation from her 13-year-old son, who lives with her family in Guantanamo while she trains. ”He’s really proud,” she says. “I tell him, ‘Papi, at school, you also have to be a good athlete. You have to be disciplined with your studies and with your training,’ and we both support each other.”
She finds a lot of her motivation from her 13-year-old son, who lives with her family in Guantanamo while she trains. ”He’s really proud,’ she says. “I tell him, ‘Papi, at school, you also have to be a good athlete. You have to be disciplined with your studies and with your training,’ and we both support each other.”
Training Ground
While their equipment is modest, many of the women have been working to transform themselves into world-class fighters in less than a year. Their seasoned coaches know all too well that the formula is less about what they have and how well they use the tools they’re given.
Rolling With The Punches
The coaches are honest about the uphill climb the boxers face as a new team. “The biggest challenge is that we’re confronting athletes and big figures who we don’t know. The athletes from the U.S., for example, are strong powerhouses,” coach Noriega says.
At the same time, he notes that Cuban boxers are drawing from a long lineage. “The Cuban boxer is tied to the blood of all those world champions,” he says.
Team Captain Legnis Calá
Six months ago, Legnis Cala was back at home, caring for her 11-year-old daughter . She’d given up the sport the year before to focus on her family and took on odd jobs to bring in some income. Yet boxing kept calling her back.
“I had tried to hang up my gloves, but I couldn’t. Life put boxing in my path,” she says.
World-Class Coaching
Several coaches working with the women’s team are seasoned, longtime professionals, deeply familiar with the Cuban boxing scene. Santiago Suárez has brought all his knowledge and training to the group, and feels deeply proud of what they’ve accomplished: “They have to sacrifice a lot. It is a difficult task. But it is an honor for me to be able to make history with this team.”
Blow By Blow
The team is testing out their skills for the first time, but they know that they’re also setting a foundation for women who want to take on the sport in the future. “We haven’t been practicing boxing for even a year in Cuba in an official way, but already we have some outstanding results,” says Suárez, citing one silver and two bronze medals they won in Central America.
Knockout Ambitions
Yakelín Estornell has been dedicating hours and hours to her training, all in hopes of making it to the world stage. “My dream right now is to get a medal at the Pan American Games and to qualify for the Olympic Games,” she says. “My big dream my whole life has been to be an athlete. I’m working hard and I feel in shape. I hope my objective and my dream comes true.”
Knowing Everyone’s Strengths
Many of the women came from other sports, including taekwondo, wrestling, and track and field. Still, many of them found an instant connection with boxing and each brings a different set of strengths to the sport. “Each person in the group has distinct qualities. Not one person is the same,” says coach Suárez. He points to Legnis Calá’s constant dedication as something that sets her apart, and Arianne Lamote’s past experience with combat sports as a benefit while training.
Tight-Knit Team
Coach Jorge Felix Noreiga works with some of the athletes. They often start their training as early as 5 a.m. They spend the day circuit-training and shadow-boxing, working non-stop to achieve the next step in their professional careers.
Brief Break
Boxer Juliannet Méndez takes a breather after arduous training. Their gym facilities are limited, but they’re doing everything to eventually stand up to boxing powerhouses like the U.S. and Brazil, and create the same legacy male boxers have constructed in Cuba.
The Captain’s View
Team captain Legnis Calá felt an instant connection to the sport when she first started. “I had only been training for two weeks, and I liked the feeling. I felt a little nervous, but I liked the adrenaline you feel in a fight, and that’s when I got excited and stayed a while longer.”
Now she has won her first silver medal in international competition as a featherweight, and is excited to see where else her tenacity takes her.
Win For Cuba
With a difficult embargo that’s been in place for more than 60 years, Cuba has faced hardships that include food shortages, economic difficulties, and more. It’s important to the team to not just prove themselves in the ring, but to also bring home a win for their families and the rest of the island.
Future Visions
Former taekwondo practitioner Arianne Lamote perfects her jab in a corner, her gaze serious, barely ever breaking into a smile. She is clear-eyed about what she wants the future to hold.
“In five years, I see myself as a household name in Cuba. In 10 years, even moreso, with my home and my future secured,” she says. “Boxing has helped me a lot because it has given me another status. Now I’m a member of the national team.”
Go Down In The Books
“Now that [women’s boxing] is approved, my dream has changed,” one boxer says. “ I want to be a champion, win medals, and make history.”
In Each Other’s Corner
Through all their training, the women have built bonds with each other as they work to achieve something bigger together. “It’s like a family,” Lamote says. “Some peers help me, even if they’re not in my division, and I help them. And that’s how it continues.”