Julia Osendi Díaz

Sports journalist for Cuban television. Known as "Julita Osendi". More than 50 special reports and documentaries speak to the performance of this woman, the first in Cuba to achieve respect and admiration as a sports journalist and commentator. On November 20, 2013, she receives the Commemorative Medal for the 50th Anniversary of the UPEC.

Daughter of an Asturian father, she has three children and two grandchildren. In recent times, without ceasing to work diligently, she has made space to care for her grandchildren and is thinking about writing her memoirs.

Professional Career
In 1977 she graduates as a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Havana with outstanding results, and was placed in radio in April 1978, a medium that became a true school for her.

At Radio Cadena Habana she was news chief, reporter, editor, worked as an operator, announcer, and sports commentator until her specialization in this field.

In 1980 she began working in Cuban Television.

Julita Osendi, as she is affectionately called, had to make great sacrifices. She would pick up her children from daycare, elementary school, secondary school, from the sports school: she traveled with them through the provinces during baseball championship finals. They slept in basketball facilities or at athletic or gymnastics competitions.

As if that weren't enough, she also came through another very difficult test: convincing people that a woman could also succeed not just as an announcer, but as a commentator and documentarian, where she had to demonstrate knowledge of different sports disciplines and prove her professionalism.

More than 50 special reports and documentaries speak to the performance of this woman, the first in Cuba to earn respect and admiration as a sports journalist and commentator.

Julita has produced documentaries about championship teams and personalities in Cuban sports since the 1990s. In the archives of Cuban Television, the lives and admirable exploits of athletes such as Ana Fidelia Quirós Moret, Alberto Juantorena, Javier Sotomayor; baseball players Agustín Marquetti, Pedro Medina, Omar Linares, Luis Giraldo Casanova, Rogelio García and others are preserved.

To these are added documentaries of Multiple Games such as the Olympics in Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, Beijing; Pan American Games Havana 1991, Indianapolis 87, Dominican Republic 2003, Rio de Janeiro 2007.

With singular mastery she has hosted sports segments on television newscasts, including the prime time eight o'clock broadcast, National Sports News and TV News.

Awards and Honors
On November 20, 2013, Antonio Moltó, president of the Union of Journalists of Cuba, presented her with the Commemorative Medal for the 50th Anniversary of the UPEC for her contribution to sports journalism.

Julita Osendi's Confessions
Journalist by family tradition?
Nothing like that… Papi, an Asturian immigrant, became a doctor after working several jobs from cleaning floors to nursing; mami was a beautiful shop assistant at El Encanto store, worked in perfumery and was trilingual. I've always loved sports and since I couldn't be an athlete I turned to Sports Journalism.

Connection with sports
My whole life… And I chose Sports Journalism because, quite simply, it was what I wanted, what I loved. I'm a frustrated runner… First, my dad didn't want me to run; second, the coaches of that era claimed that "black was fast-twitch strength" and white was for long distances and I didn't run long distances but short ones…

How much it cost to get here
It took me years, many years. I'm amazed at how easily now anyone, and note that I say anyone, comes along and picks up a microphone and starts talking, commenting in front of a camera… Everything takes time, it's like ripening a fruit before its time. Some turn out well, most don't. Fortunately I've carved out a path that some young women are following, among them Dayli Sánchez, who through her work and effort is now in the TV Sports Editorial department. There's also Glenda Torres, at Canal Habana and young women at other broadcast centers.

Her children
Three children: Javier, Henry, and Julio, and two grandchildren, plus thousands of "children" attached to me whom I love and spoil… I managed, at first I had the children's father's support but when it really mattered, when they were teenagers, we separated… From then on I continued alone, with mistakes, falling and getting back up… I raised them knowing the stadiums and fields and tracks of Cuba… Maybe if I could go back I wouldn't have done it and would have preferred that today they be doctors and engineers even if I wasn't Julita Osendi. It was a titanic effort, alone with my work and raising them to be the decent men they are.

Favorite sport
Of course my dear friend, track and field and by far it's my passion, my life, my strength, my weakness… I see an athletics track and I see my childhood, my youth, my adulthood… anyone who knows me knows that my life is track and field, and if it's not our best sport right now it's up there… Wrestling, judo, boxing, baseball itself or volleyball have tremendous level, but my "children" are at the top when it's not one it's another, there are many disciplines.

Controversial journalist?
That depends, there are those who come, hug you, congratulate you; there are those who hiding behind baseness like writing to a certain place and writing a endless stream of things want to prove you're at the bottom of the social ladder… there's everything in the Lord's vineyard. The majority, the great majority adore me and that's what the minority can't forgive, that this woman, come from the people, daughter of a struggling Asturian and daughter of poor Asturians made it to where I am. If anyone is proud of their origins, that's me.

Love for Havana and for Cuba
I'm Havana through and through; I'm proud of it. I've walked the world, the Revolution and my work have allowed it. I've seen beautiful cities, devilishly beautiful and modern ones. Believe me: I miss Havana… this is my capital, Mine, everyone's, we Cubans. I love this Island, this Caribbean of ours, and of course, my Havana.