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A22       SPORTS
              Thursday 2 February 2017
              Women demand Cuba support 1st female boxing team




            ANDREA RODRIGUEZ
             Associated Press
            HAVANA  (AP)  —  Cuban
            men    have    won    more
            Olympic  boxing  medals
            than fighters from any other
            country.  Now  a  group  of
            up-and-coming       female
            boxers  on  the  island  have
            their eyes on the gold.
            They  want  government
            support to form Cuba’s first
            female  boxing  team  and
            help  dispel  a  decades-old
            belief  once  summed  up
            by  a  former  top  coach:
            “Cuban women are meant
            to  show  the  beauty  of
            their  face,  not  receive
            punches.”
            Idamelys  Moreno  smirks  at
            that  idea  as  she  and  half
            a dozen other women step
            up  their  training  in  hopes
            of  changing  the  mind  of
            Cuban officials.
            “I see myself at the Olympics
            in  Japan  2020,”  she  said.  In this Jan. 24, 2017 photo, Olympic silver medalist Emilio Correa Jr., center, instructs Idamelys Moreno, right, and Legnis Cala, at a
            “That’s my dream.”          sports center in Havana, Cuba.
            Women  were  first  allowed                                                                                                   Associated Press
            to  box  at  the  Summer     Moreno  recalled.  “There  analyzing the proposal and  pretty     strenuous   sports,  Flores  has  accused  the
            Olympics  in  2012,  and     were  around  12  of  us,  a  carrying out medical studies  I   don’t    understand  Federation      of   Cuban
            Moreno  wants  a  shot  at  a   lot  of  women  from  other  to  understand  the  impact  why   not      boxing,”  Women  of  not  supporting
            medal, too. The 24-year-old   provinces, and they had to  of  blows  to  a  woman’s  said  sports  commentator  their  cause,  even  though
            trains  at  least  two  hours  a   leave.”                body  and  whether  such  Ismael Sene.                    the  group  helped  women
            day after she gets off work,   Olympic   silver   medalist  action is “appropriate.”   Boxing  has  long  been  an  enter  professional  fields
            completing  a  routine  that   Emilio Correa Jr. stepped in  A  message  left  with  the  athletic   stronghold   for  that  were  dominated  by
            includes  running  several   to help some of the women  Cuban       Federation    of  Cuba,  which  has  won  72  men prior to the revolution.
            miles  (kilometers),  lifting   find another gym while they  Boxing was not returned.  Olympic  medals  in  that  Female  boxers  inspired  by
            weights, hitting a punching   push top Cuban officials to  Female  athletes  in  Cuba  category  and  produced  Flores say they hope to get
            bag and sparring with both   support female boxing.       have made strides in many  stars  including  Felix  Savon,  the same opportunity.
            women and men.               “They can bring more glory  other    sports,   including  Teofilo  Stevenson,  Emilio  “My  mom  says  it’s  a
            Moreno       and      other   to the Cuban sport,” Correa  wrestling,  judo  and,  most  Correa  Sr.,  Julio  Cesar  La  violent   sport,”   25-year-
            women       once      were   said.  “They  are  diamonds  recently,  weightlifting.  In  Cruz,  Arlen  Lopez  and  old  Legnis  Cala  said  as
            thrown out of a local gym    in  the  rough.  ...  The  motor  2006,  Cuba  allowed  the  Robeisy Ramirez.          her   colorful   extensions
            when  sports  officials  got   skills,  the  explosive  nature  creation  of  the  island’s  The lack of women on that  flew  back  and  forth  as
            wind of them training there.  and  the  energy  of  Cuban  first  female  weightlifting  roster  disappoints  many,  she  sparred  with  Moreno.
            “One  day  without  further   boxers  are  also  present  in  team  for  an  international  including  Namibia  Flores,  “But  there  are  women  in
            ado  they  said,  ‘Listen,   these women.”                competition.                 who  has  trained  in  the  other  countries  who  also
            sir,  women  cannot  be      But  the  government  so  far  “If   they’re    allowed  U.S.  and  starred  in  a  2014  box  ...  And  if  they  give  us
            here    because     female   appears      unconvinced.  in      wrestling    or    in  U.S.  documentary  called  permission, I think we’ll also
            boxing  is  not  allowed,’”   Officials  have  said  they’re  weightlifting,   which   are  “Boxeadora.”            make it.”q


                                                                      No Williams sisters or Kerber


                                                                      for Germany-U.S. in Fed Cup



                                                                        WHITE  PLAINS,  N.Y.  (AP)  met  in  the  Australian  Open  doubles  champion
                                                                        —  Serena  Williams,  Venus  Open  final,  with  Serena  Bethanie   Mattek-Sands,
                                                                        Williams  and  Angelique  winning  her  23rd  Grand  Alison  Riske  and  Shelby
                                                                        Kerber  will  sit  out  the  first-  Slam  title.  Serena  also  Rodgers.
                                                                        round  Fed  Cup  matches  replaced     Kerber,   who  The German roster includes
                                                                        between the United States  was  the  Australian  Open  Laura Siegemund, Andrea
                                                                        and Germany.                defending  champion,  at  Petkovic,  Julia  Goerges
                                                                        New  U.S.  captain  Kathy  No. 1 in the WTA rankings  and Carina Witthoeft.
            In  this  Saturday,  Jan.  28,  2017  photo,  United  States’  Serena   Rinaldi  announced  her  this week.         The  winning  country  will
            Williams, left, embraces her sister, Venus, as she celebrates after   roster  on  Wednesday  for  The  American  team  will  meet  Spain  or  the  Czech
            winning the women’s singles final at the Australian Open tennis   the  best-of-five  series  on  include  Australian  Open  Republic  in  the  Fed  Cup
            championships in Melbourne, Austalia.                       Feb. 11-12 in Maui, Hawaii.
                                                    Associated Press.                               singles  semifinalist  CoCo  semifinals in April.q
                                                                        The     Williams    sisters  Vandeweghe,  Australian
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