Hilarión Ronaldo Veitía Valdivié

Retired athlete and coach of Cuban women's judo, considered among the best in the world. Developer of multiple champions in all competitions: Pan American, Central American, Olympic and World championships. Decorated with the Order of Sports Merit, the highest distinction awarded by the State Council of the Republic of Cuba to individuals or groups that have maintained an impeccable trajectory. On May 2, 2005 he receives the distinction of National Hero of Labor.

Born in the municipality of Cotorro in the capital.

In 1963, at just 15 years old, he stepped onto a judo mat for the first time, in secret, against his father's wishes and with his mother's secret complicity. Six months later, a press report exposed him as an athlete when he won a competition. He won several tournaments and competitions in the Soviet Union and the German Democratic Republic.

He began practicing this martial art relatively late, approaching 17 years old. Although he was a national champion in the 93-kilogram division, several times over, and a Pan American medalist, his results as an athlete were not as significant compared to what he achieved years later as a sports coach.

He always enjoyed teaching. In fact, during his time as an athlete, when the coach traveled or took vacation, he substituted for him in classes.

In 1967 he created a training facility in his town, Cotorro, about 20 km southwest of Havana, and began teaching classes voluntarily. Four years later he was officially recognized as a coach. His facility was recognized several times as the best judo training area in all of Havana.

He later offered classes in various educational centers and ended up as head of the Physical Education department at the Sports Initiation School (EIDE) of the country's capital. His students won first place on nine occasions.

Due to his achievements, he spent 12 months on technical collaboration in Mexico, as coach of that country's national women's team, with significant results, as his female students achieved, for the first time, medals in continental championships.

In 1986 he was promoted to head coach of the national senior team for women, only seven years after girls began officially practicing this martial art in Cuba.

The first major event for Cuban women's judo was the Pan American Sports Games in Caracas, Venezuela, in 1983, where results were quite modest. That same year the first national championship was held in the Vicente Ponce Carrasco hall in Havana.

At that time, Cuba did not even dominate the area, as it did not achieve privileged positions in the Central American and Caribbean Games, held in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic in 1986.

The adaptation was difficult for Veitía, who revolutionized the form and intensity of training among his students, making them similar to those of men, although adapted to their actual capacity. Among multiple examples, he included weights that were prohibited for women at that time, but he applied them with medical monitoring and scientific methods in preparation.

He incorporated rope climbing using only the hands, without using the feet for support, and added the plank exercise, something conceived only for men.

He began giving them the same level of entry drills and other parameters never before tested. And most importantly, the girls assimilated them without losing their femininity. His methods finally produced the incredible results he has achieved with women over almost three decades.

Under his leadership, a pioneer of Cuban judo, Cecilia Alacán, won a bronze medal in the 52 kg division at the University World Championship in Georgia in 1988. But much more significant was Estela Rodríguez's gold medal at the Senior World Championship in Belgrade 1989, in the over 72 kg division, the first absolute world titleholder in Cuban judo, and Odalys Revé Jiménez was crowned at the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games.

Precisely, at the summer Barcelona event, Veitía's girls garnered other important achievements, such as the silver medal of the super heavyweight Estela Rodríguez and bronzes by Driulis González Morales in the 56 kg and Amarilis Savón in the 48 kg. It was the long-awaited breakthrough of Cuban judo to the highest level.

From that moment on, Cuban women made themselves felt in every event they participated in. Perhaps unintentionally, the burly coach guided his girls to succeed decisively in Central American and Pan American competitions, to face off in world championships and even Olympic games against judo powerhouses such as Japan, China, France, Belgium, Great Britain and Italy, among others.

Since the emergence of Caribbean women in the universal context, exceptional figures such as Estela Rodríguez, Driulis González, Legna Verdecia Rodríguez, Sibelis Veranes Morel, Odalys Revé, Amarilis Savón, Daima Beltrán or Diadenis Luna, among many others, have enhanced the prestige of the Cuban school of this martial art of Japanese origin. The first four are members of the Hall of Fame of the Americas, which highlights the joint work of this seasoned coach, currently considered one of the best and most professional in this sport in the world.

Currently, the largest of the Antilles has Olympic and world titleholders, monarchs in Central American and Caribbean championships, university championships, youth championships and Pan American Games, a tournament in which they have not lost hegemony since Havana 1991. Today they hold all the titles of the International Judo Federation (IJF).

For years, the Cuban women's judo team is considered, by its significant results, the best team in the world and Ronaldo Veitía, the best coach. The Caribbean women occupy a prominent place in the world ranking compiled by the IJF. Their aspiration to achieve first place by countries in Olympic competitions was realized at the Sydney 2000 Games.

After a major overhaul at the end of the summer competition, he maintained top positions in the main events, as he has always worked in stages to replace results and not athletes, ensuring succession is guaranteed.

Recognition

Over more than four decades, the eighth dan in judo, Ronaldo Veitía, has accumulated almost 50 medals in world championships, 22 in Olympic games, of which four are gold.

Among his most cherished achievements are the already mentioned first place at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games; the title at the world championships in Shiba, Japan (1995) and Cairo, Egypt (2008); the top position at the youth world championship in Dijon, France (1990); and the crown at the world team tournament in Minsk, Belarus (1998).

In January 2016 he officially retired as coach of the Cuban national judo team.