Cuban Judoka Marlon Herrera Wins Gold in His Debut at the Santo Domingo 2026 Central American Games

August 1, 2026

Cuban judoka Marlon Herrera, from Holguín province, won the gold medal in the 73-kilogram division at the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, marking his debut at the regional competition.

In the final, held Sunday, July 26, 2026, Herrera defeated Mexico's Ulises Méndez with an ippon scored just nine seconds into the match, according to the Prensa Latina news agency.

The title capped a strong day for Cuban judo at Santo Domingo 2026, a discipline in which the island collected several gold medals over the course of the competition, reinforcing its traditional regional dominance in the sport. With the win, Cuba reached its sixth gold medal of the Games up to that point, Prensa Latina reported.

The XXV Central American and Caribbean Games run from July 24 through August 8, 2026, in the Dominican capital.