.c The Associated Press. Aug 8
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) - The Cubans dominated the boxing at the Pan American Games, winning nine of a possible 12 gold medals with an aggressive, left-handed style.
``If you're looking at figures, it seems it's totally out of proportion, the number of southpaws they have on their team, compared to other countries,'' said Vinny Ryan, who coached Canadian silver medalist Zaya Younan, an 11-2 loser to Cuba's Yudel Johnson in the featherweight finals.
``They convert them down in Cuba,'' Ryan said. ``They try them both ways to see what skills the guy has. And if it works, go for it.''
The only non-Cuban boxers to win gold medals were American Gerald Tucker and Argentines Omar Narvaez and Victor Castro.
One Cuban didn't even have to get in the ring to claim his gold. Mammoth 6-foot-8, 250-pound super heavyweight Alexis Rubacaba was awarded a walkover Saturday night when U.S. opponent Davin King could not box because of a laceration inside his mouth.
OFF THE STREETS:@If not for fencing, Akhi Spencer-El, Keeth Smart and Herby Raynaud might be wandering the inner city streets of New York.
Instead, they're seeing the world and facing international competition.
``When I was in high school, everybody I looked up to was getting in trouble,'' Spencer-El said after winning a silver medal at the Pan Am Games in sabres.
Spencer-El said he was getting kicked out of class and hanging out until 4 a.m. before his mother suggested he give the Peter Westbrook Foundation a try. Westbrook is a 13-time U.S. sabre champion and six-time Olympian who set up a foundation for inner city youth. Westbrook, who escaped a New
York city housing project through fencing, started the foundation eight years ago. Funding is provided by the U.S. Olympic Committee.
``At first I didn't want to do it,'' Smart said. ``You know - fencing. You don't want to say you're fencing, because the other kids make fun of you. Everyone in New York is into the big sports like basketball, football and baseball.''
But now the teammates are seeing the world through their sport. And where there was once peer pressure in their old neighborhoods against those who tried to excel, the resentment has disappeared.
``We don't have that on our fencing team at all,'' Smart said.
SALMON PEOPLE:@ Nearly 20,000 volunteers, nicknamed ``salmon people'' for the color of their distinctive shirts, volunteered for duties of all variety during the nearly three-week run of the Pan American Games.
``We couldn't have done it without them,'' said Bob McMahon, the Pan American Games chief operating officer. ``They made the decisions they were supposed to do.''
They helped transport athletes, officials and media and also took care of details and chores at venue sites.
One volunteer took her duties beyond the call. When a Costa Rican swimmer had her gear stolen, the volunteer acquired donations of swimsuits, goggles and caps and then gave the swimmer $100 from her own pocket.
CAMPAIGNING FOR CANADA:@ Ernie Whitt's hopes of getting Canada's baseball team into the 2000 Olympics has almost no chance of succeeding.
The problem is purely logistical. Event tickets already have gone on sale for the Sydney Games next year.
While the 10-team draw for baseball has not yet been made, scheduled games are being sold. To expect changes is to expect the impossible.
So Canada, which at 6-1 had the best record in the tournament, but won only a bronze medeal, is left behind.
``I do not know how much support generally there would be for a larger draw,'' Dick Pound, vice-president of the International Olympic Committee, said of adding the Canadians or other teams.
Italy and the Netherlands are in the tournament. Baseball-strong countries such as Canada, which was managed at the Pan Ams by Whitt, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are out.
Only the top two finishers at this event got Olympic berths. Cuba won the gold medal and the United States the silver.
AP-NY-08-08-99 1723EDT
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