Arlen Lopez Cardona has given Cuba its first medal of the 2024 Paris Games.
The 31-year-old Cuban boxer, a two-time Olympic champion, had to settle for bronze at the 2024 Summer Olympics after losing to Ukraine’s Oleksandr Khyzhniak in the Men’s 80KG boxing semifinal, ending his quest for a record-equalling third Olympic gold medal.
Lopez Cardona has previously claimed the middleweight gold at the 2016 Rio Games and the light-heavyweight gold at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Lopez Cardona had no answers to the 2020 Tokyo Games silver medalist’s pace and power, losing by a split decision as Khyzniak progressed to the final.
López also won gold medals at both the 2015 and 2019 Pan American Games, the 2014 and 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games and the 2015 World Championships.
