Enmanuel Reyes Pla Gives Spain Its First Olympic Boxing Medal in 24 Years

2024 Paris GamesEnmanuel Reyes Pla has given Spain a new boxing medal…

The 31-year-old Cuban-Spanish amateur boxer, who was born in Cuba but represents Spain internationally, has claimed a bronze medal in the Men’s 92KG boxing category at the 2024 Paris Games.

Enmanuel Reyes PlaReyes Pla lost to Azerbaijan’s Loren Berto Alfonso Dominguez, who was born in Cuban, by a score of 4-1 in the semifinals to end his run for Olympic gold.

Reyes Pla’s bronze is the fifth boxing medal in Spanish history and the first since the 2000 Sydney Games.

“It is not the result I expected, but I am happy with the bronze medal. The result is not all on me, it depends also on the judges. I will not go to Roland-Garros but I am happy,” Reyes Pla said. “It is very good for me and my family. With all the hard work I have put in, it is a very good result for me, for my family and for Spain.”

Alfonso Dominguez will take on Lazizbek Mullojonov of Uzbekistan in the final on August 9.

Mikel Oyarzabal & His Spanish Teammate Claim Men’s Soccer Silver at the Tokyo Games

2020 Tokyo Games

There’s a silver lining for Mikel Oyarzabal.

The 24-year-old Spanish footballer leveled the score in the men’s gold medal match between Spain and Brazil, 1-1, at the 2020 Tokyo Games, but La Roja ultimately had to settle for silver.

Mikel Oyarzabal

Coach Luis de la Fuente’s team went into the game undefeated in the competition, although they went to extra time in both their quarterfinal and semifinal ties.

Brazil had Everton’s Richarlison to call upon, the competition’s top scorer with five goals, as well as Dani Alves, who – at 38 – was looking to win the 44th title of his storied career.

Mikel Oyarzabal

Brazil had an excellent chance to take the lead early when they earned a penalty kick after Unai Simon clattered Matheus Cunha. Richarlison stepped up to the plate, but blazed his effort high and wide. The selecao got their breakthrough soon after, however, with Cunha finishing superbly after Alves teed him up artfully, before Mikel Oyarzabal, assisted by Carlos Soler, got Spain back on level terms with an absolutely stunning volley to force extra time.

https://twitter.com/JDNalton/status/1423990829908172802

 

Malcolm emerged as the hero for Brazil, though, as he raced free and slotted home past the heroic Unai Simon to clinch the gold medal for the South American nation.

Brazil would edge past Spain 2-1 to win its second-straight Olympic title.

They also become just the fifth team in Olympics history to win consecutive titles in men’s soccer.

Spain Soccer Team Mikel Oyarzabal

It’s the third silver for Spain after being the runner-up at the 1920 Antwerp Games and the 2000 Sydney Games.

Spain’s lone Olympic gold came at the 1992 Barcelona Games.

Belén Succi  & Argentine Women’s Field Hockey Team Claim Silver at Tokyo Games

2020 Tokyo Games

The third time didn’t prove to be the charm for Belén Succi and her teammates, but they’re still going home medalists…

The 35-year-old Argentine field hockey goalkeeper and her teammates lost their gold medal final match against the Netherlands in the women’s field hockey competition 3-1, having to settle for the silver medal.

Argentina Women's Field Hockey Team

“It was a pretty close match. We face a very dynamic team. They scored the goals very quickly and we couldn’t recover from that,” said Las Leonas star María Noel Barrionuevo, who said she was hugely “proud” of her teammates.

“I feel sad about the defeat, but at the same time happy, because at the end of the day we were able to reach an Olympic final, which is something amazing, and we were also able to take home the silver medal,” he added.

It’s the third time Argentina has come up as the runner-up in Olympic competition. They’d previously taken the silver at the 2000 Sydney Games and the 2012 London Games.

The Argentina women’s team also won the bronze medal in 2004 Athens Games and 2008 Beijing Games.

It’s the Netherlands’ third gold medal in the last four Olympics.

Aremi Fuentes Wins Weightlifting Bronze Medal at Tokyo Games

2020 Tokyo Games

Aremi Fuentes is celebrating a bronze performance…

The 28-year-old Mexican weightlifter claimed the bronze medal in the women’s weightlifting 76 kilograms class at the Tokyo Games.

Aremi Fuentes

Fuentes lifted 108 kg and 137 kg in the snatch and clean & jerk phases respectively for a total of 245 kg to earn the bronze.

Ecuador’s Neisi Dajomes claimed the gold with a total of 263kg, while Team USA’s Kate Nye won the silver with 249kg.

Aremi Fuentes

Fuentes wasn’t among the favorites for a medal at the start of the competition, but she made four of her six attempts to total 245kg, a far better effort than some of her rivals.

It’s the fourth medal for Mexico in weightlifting after the gold of Soraya Jiménez at the 2000 Sydney Games, the bronze of Damaris Aguirre in the 2008 Beijing Games and the bronze of Luz Acosta at the 2012 London Games.