"I felt good, despite the fact that I had not competed internationally since the Pan American Games in Lima, in 2019," he commented.

Judoka Jorge Martínez Wilson (81 kilograms) became the first athlete from the province to qualify for the upcoming Central American and Caribbean Games (JCC) in San Salvador, 2023, after winning the bronze medal in the Panama Qualifying Tournament.

In the isthmus event of the Central American country, the competitor who has remained in the national judo team for the longest time, with a record that spans more than a decade, prevailed over his most difficult rival: the lack of international competitions for space almost four years.

However, in his first presentation he beat the athlete from Nicaragua, by Ippon, and then the athlete from Colombia, by Wazari —two notes of good scores in judo—, before losing in a controversial fight against the Mexican Samuel Ayala, silver medalist, by giving in against the experienced Medikson del Orbe, victimizer of Martinez in Lima, 2019.

«I felt good in the fights, although I lacked a little confidence and that is given by the competitions. In the area, the level has improved a lot and several athletes train in countries of Europe and Asia. It is not that they show a great superiority in the competitions, but sometimes the small details make the difference, "he told the editor via WhatsApp from the competition headquarters.

Yunier Valdivia Rodríguez, deputy director of Sports Activities at Inder in Ciego de Ávila, stated that some 40 athletes from different sports are awaiting the classification of their respective teams for the Central American Games in San Salvador, El Salvador, in 2023.