The gala took place at the Havana Sports City Coliseum.

The best Cuban athletes of the year 2023 were awarded this Tuesday at the Sports City Coliseum, which hosted a gala presided over by Teresa Amarelle Boué and Ulises Guilarte de Nascimiento, members of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Cuba.

Also attending the celebration were Jorge Luis Broche Lorenzo, member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and head of its department of attention to the social sector; Jorge Luis Perdomo Di-Lella, vice prime minister of the Republic of Cuba; Osvaldo Vento Montiller, head of Inder, and other authorities of the government, the Party and the Cuban Sports System.

The event included the solemn ceremony of reassigning the bronze medal of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, in the triple jump, to Yargelis Savigne. It was presented by María Caridad Colón, IOC member; Roberto León Richards, president of the Cuban Olympic Committee; and Osvaldo Vento Montiller, head of Inder.

Outstanding sports figures received awards for their performances in the multisport games held during the period.

Also distinguished were the most outstanding athletes, headed by wrestler Luis Orta and canoeist Yarisleydis Cirilo.

An emotional moment took place when the achievements of the winners of the VII Parapan American Games of Santiago 2023 were highlighted.

Yenigladys Suárez, two-time champion in para-athletics, expressed her gratitude and assured that «the social achievements of the Revolution allow and facilitate triumph in this field». She set the new goal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Boxer Julio César La Cruz highlighted his own and collective successes during the year and predicted better results for next year.

The evening was enlivened by the performances of the community project Venga la Esperanza and the National Wushu School.

The artistic moments were provided by artists of the stature of Rafael Espín and Raúl Paz, who was in charge of closing the gala.

Amidst the jubilation for the achievements and the challenges and opportunities of the coming 2024, those present enjoyed the reunion satisfied with what they had achieved and convinced that the best is yet to come.