Yarisleidis Cirilo and José Ramón Pelier, both hailing from Guantánamo, delivered a remarkable performance for Cuba on Thursday at the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games. Each athlete secured three gold medals at the El Rincón dam, bringing Cuba's total gold tally in the canoeing events of Santo Domingo 2026 to five.
According to the state sports outlet JIT, the three Cuban boats that competed on Thursday all finished at the top of the podium. Cirilo triumphed in the C-1 200 meters, Pelier excelled in the C-1 1,000 meters, and the day concluded with both teaming up in the mixed canoe 500 meters to achieve a golden hat trick.
In the women's individual event, Cirilo clocked in at 47.78 seconds, leaving a significant gap between her and Colombian Manuela Gómez, who finished at 50.22, and Mexican Ximena Aparicio, who took third with 52.24.
Pelier delivered an even more dominant performance in the one-kilometer race, crossing the finish line in 4:09.17 minutes, comfortably ahead of Mexican Guillermo Quirino at 4:16.02 and Colombian Daniel Pacheco at 4:20.10.
In the mixed event, the Cuban duo finished in 1:56.41, significantly outpacing the Mexican pair of Ximena Aparicio and Guillermo Quirino (2:02.02), while the Colombian team of Madison Velázquez and Daniel Pacheco settled for bronze in 2:03.89.
These three golds on Thursday complement the two previously won by Cirilo and Pelier in the C-2 500 meters — Cirilo with Diorgina Castillo and Pelier with Tabiany Diéguez — allowing each athlete to accumulate three golds in the tournament. This performance places them among Cuba's top gold medalists, alongside rowers Reidy Cardona and Leduar Suárez.
The four Cuban athletes are part of a select group of 40 competitors who have achieved three or more gold titles in these Games, led by Mexican swimmer Celia Pulido with eight crowns. Only 108 participants have earned more than one gold medal in Santo Domingo 2026. Other Cuban multi-medalists include Henry Heredia, Natalie Morales, and Raima Ortiz in rowing, and cyclist Marlies Mejias.
The achievements of Cirilo and Pelier are especially noteworthy given the circumstances leading up to these Games. In July, nine of the 12 members of the Cuban canoeing team defected in Montreal during the III World Cup and the Pan American Championship, marking the largest exodus in this sport in Cuban history.
Despite this massive departure, Pelier, Cirilo, and Geduar González remained with the national team. Instead of faltering, the two athletes from Guantánamo responded with elite performances that have solidified their status as leading figures in Cuban sports within the regional arena. As of August 4, Cuba ranks third in the overall medal standings at Santo Domingo 2026, trailing Mexico and Colombia, with over 31 golds, aligning with the official goal of finishing among the top three.
Cuban Canoeing Success at Santo Domingo 2026
Who are Yarisleidis Cirilo and José Ramón Pelier?
Yarisleidis Cirilo and José Ramón Pelier are Cuban canoeists from Guantánamo who recently won three gold medals each at the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games.
How many gold medals did Cuba win in canoeing at Santo Domingo 2026?
Cuba secured a total of five gold medals in the canoeing events at Santo Domingo 2026.
What challenges did the Cuban canoeing team face before the Games?
Before the Games, the Cuban canoeing team faced the defection of nine out of its 12 members in Montreal, which was the largest such incident in Cuban canoeing history.