Lázaro Rivas Scull

A Greco-Roman wrestling specialist in the 54 kg division, in which he also obtained universal bronze medals in Patras 2001 and Creteil 2003, and gold medals in the Pan American Games of Winnipeg 1999 and Santo Domingo 2003.

A native of San Nicolás de Bari, he also conquered eight titles in continental tournaments of the discipline, in the seasons of 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

At just 19 years old, he caught the attention of experts when he earned the right to participate in the Atlanta-1996 Olympic Games after winning in the qualifying tournament, in the 52 kilogram category.

At the centennial summer competition, he amazed again, when he finished fifth, after linking victories against Norwegian Jon Roenningen (5-0), and Syrian Khaled Al-Faraj (5-0), before falling 1-7 to then-Armenian Armen Nazarian, who later became champion and one of the best gladiators of the classical style of all time.

Under the system in effect then, he could stay alive in the repechage and there he rose to fifth place after defeating Bulgarian Yordan Anev, after putting on a luxury fight against Russian Samuel Danelyan in the semifinals, decided 9-8 in favor of the European.

Before the end of that 1996 year, he conquered the bronze medal in the World Cup held in Colorado Springs, United States, the last tournament in which competition was held at 52 kg, as from then on the minimum division would be 54 kilos.

In this new weight, he won the top honor at the 1997 Pan American Championship, and finished ninth in the World Championship.

In that competition, held in the Polish city of Wroclaw, Rivas only lost to the silver and bronze medalists, South Korean Tae-Yeon Ha (2-5), and local Alfred Ter-Mkrtchyan (0-4), Olympic champion of Barcelona-1992.

After a 1998 in which he was crowned in the continental tournament of the discipline, "El Cocuyo," a nickname that has accompanied him since his childhood, had his best year in 1999, when he dominated the Pan American Games of Winnipeg and the World Championship in Athens.

At the Athens event, he allowed only five points against in six matches and his performance was so commendable that he earned that year the title of Best Wrestler in the World, awarded by the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA).

His most decisive victories were against Japanese Masatsune Sasaki, Romanian Marian Sandu and Democratic Korean Yong Gyun Kang, by technical superiority of 12-0, 10-0 and 11-0, respectively.

He also defeated Finnish Tero Eerik Katajisto 7-2, German Ter-Mkrtchyan 5-3 in the semifinals and South Korean Ha 7-0 in the final.

2000 started very well with success in the continental competition in Cali, Colombia, but later in the Sydney Olympics his people expected gold and Rivas returned with silver.

In the capital of New South Wales, "El Cocuyo" defeated ex-world champion Turk Ercan Yildiz by superiority of 10-0 and in the same manner 15-0 against New Zealander Jotham Pellew, as well as Azerbaijani Namig Aivazov 6-1 and Ukrainian Andriyj Kalashnikov 11-0 in the semifinal.

Such a performance, plus the backing of what was achieved a year earlier, left very few in doubt about Rivas's triumph in the final against South Korean Kwon Ho Sim, Olympic champion of Atlanta-1996 in the defunct 48 kilogram division.

However, barely after the challenge began, the Cuban was cautioned and the Asian took the opportunity to score eight points that proved impossible to overcome.

The harsh setback affected the native of the town of San Nicolás de Bari, in present-day Mayabeque, psychologically, and he lost months later to Venezuelan Jorge Cardozo at the Santo Domingo Pan American Games.

He later recovered at the World Championship in Patras-2001 and obtained bronze, after only losing 3-6 to the champion, Iranian Hassan Rangraz.

In early 2002, after another weight change to 55 kilos, he suffered his first major injury with a torn tendon in the index finger of his left hand, which prevented him from attending that year's World Championship, after having avenged himself against Cardozo at the continental competition in March.

In 2003 he triumphed at the David Schultz Memorial International Tournament in the United States, and at the Santo Domingo Pan American Games, in addition to finishing second at the Titans Games and third at the World Championship in Creteil, France.

However, his 1-4 loss to South Korean Im Dae-Won in the semifinals of the French tournament was harshly questioned by coaches.

The following year he was crowned again at the continental event, but the Athens Games saw him fail once more, as after defeating Rangraz 6-4, he fell 1-6 to Hungarian István Majoros, the surprising winner of the gold medal, and finished fifth.

He obtained that same place at the world competition in 2005 and finished lower at the one in 2006, when he won the Central American and Caribbean Games in Cartagena, but lost in the III National Olympiad to Yagniel Hernández, the new figure in the minimum division in Cuba.

He had another opportunity at the 2007 Pan American Games in San Salvador, but upon returning with bronze, he buried his chances of returning to the top level, overshadowed by Hernández, who was crowned at the Rio de Janeiro Pan American Games and won his ticket to Beijing-2008.

This combination of injuries, poor results, and quality rivals put an end to the brilliant career of El Cocuyo, who finally decided to say goodbye to the mats that had given him so much glory.

He officially retired from sports in 2012 after four years without competing.

Rivas died in San Nicolás de Bari in 2013. The Cuban Federation of Wrestling (FCL) confirmed that the unfortunate death resulted from a brawl, and at the same time expressed its regret at the early passing of the young man who was only 38 years old.