Driulis González Morales

Known as The Legend of Judo, considered the best judoka of the 20th Century in the Americas and one of the most complete on the planet of all time, in the 57 and 63 kg divisions. Competitor in four editions of the Olympic Games, seven-time world champion, Pan American Games champion and Central American and Caribbean Games champion.

Born in Guantánamo. She began practicing judo at age ten. In 1987 she won a gold medal at the National School Games.

She has great credentials as a judoka, working as a coach and continuing her education at the Manuel Fajardo Sports University.

With just 1.63 meters in height and 58 kilograms in weight, she started as a judoka in 1987, remaining undefeated at the National School Games and being selected as the most technical athlete of the event.

In 1989 she became the youngest Cuban champion in history at just 15 years old and joined the national team, directed by the prestigious coach Ronaldo Veitía.

As time went on, she grew to 1.65 meters tall and under the guidance of Veitía and the advice of the most experienced judokas, she began to develop a refined technique that made her the second most decorated judoka on the planet, surpassed only by Japanese Ryoko Tani Tamura, holder of seven world crowns and five Olympic medals.

Selected five times as Cuba's best female athlete, at just 18 years old, she won a bronze medal in the 56 kilograms at the Barcelona Olympic Games, 1992. She obtained four titles at the World University Games.

She remained active winning accolades for Cuba at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Ponce, 1993, at the World Championship in Chiba 1995, the Pan American Games in Mar del Plata, 1995 and Olympic gold in Atlanta, 1996.

Respected in the 63 kilogram division, and still feared in the 56 and 57 divisions, she became eternalized as a symbol of extraordinary perseverance and tenacity when she triumphed while injured at the Summer Games in Atlanta, becoming a model of combativeness among Cuban athletes. The Sydney 2000 Olympic Games represented the last major competition where she obtained a silver medal.

Selected five times as Cuba's Best Female Athlete, Driulis was deserving of numerous other titles and medals.

Sports Results
Olympic Games
1996. Gold Atlanta. In the 56 kg division.
2000. Silver Sydney. In the 57 kg division.
1992. Bronze Barcelona. In the 56 kg division.
2004. Bronze Athens. In the 63 kg division.
2008. 5th Beijing. In the 63 kg division.

World Championships
1995. Gold Shiva. In the 56 kg division.
1999. Gold Birmingham. In the 57 kg division.
2007. Gold Rio de Janeiro. In the 63 kg division.
1997. Gold Paris. In the 57 kg division.
2003. Silver Osaka. In the 63 kg division.
1993. Bronze Hamilton. In the 56 kg division.
2005. Bronze Cairo. In the 63 kg division.

Pan American Games
1995. Gold Mar del Plata. In the 56 kg division.
1999. Gold Canada. In the 57 kg division.
2003. Gold Santo Domingo. In the 63 kg division.
2007. Gold Rio de Janeiro. In the 63 kg division.

Central American Games
1990. Silver Mexico. In the 56 kg division.
1993. Gold Puerto Rico. In the 56 kg division.
1998. Gold Venezuela. In the 57 kg division.
2006. Gold Colombia. In the 57 kg division.

Pan American Championships
1992. Gold Argentina. In the 56 kg division.
1994. Gold Chile. In the 56 kg division.
1996. Gold Puerto Rico. In the 56 kg division.
1998. Gold Dominican Republic. In the 57 kg division.
1999. Gold Mexico. In the 57 kg division.
2006. Gold Argentina. In the 63 kg division.
2007. Gold Canada. In the 63 kg division.

Recognition
The Queen of Judo with medals in four-year events, are added the first places in World Championships, Pan American Games and Central American Games, Universiads, national-level tournaments, as well as numerous class A competitions: Miki House, Colorado Springs, Citta di Roma, Brutin, Loeding, World Masters, Fukuoka.

Since her triumphant debut at the 1987 School Games, the designations of Most Technical and Most Outstanding in any type of competition have not been lacking either.

Standard bearer of the Cuban Delegation at the Rio Pan American Games in Brazil.

At 34 years old, she obtained the following results in official competitions in 2007: 42 matches played, won 42, of which 36 by Ippón.

Retirement from Active Sport
The official retirement of the best Cuban judoka of all time took place on Sunday, March 21 at the Rafael Castiello Renda Multipurpose Hall (Guantánamo), at 36 years of age.