Lopez, world champion in Budapest 2005, Baku 2007, Herning 2009 and Moscow 2010, is the island’s main hope for a gold medal.

Competing along with Lopez will be Pablo Shorey, silver medalist in the Russian capital and bronze medal winner in Herning 2009; Pedro Isaac, bronze in the 66 kg in Herning; Yasnier Hernandez, continental champion in the 55 kg category in Rio de Janeiro, 2007; and Yunior Estrada, seventh in the 96 kg in Moscow, all of them under the aegis of main trainer Pedro Vals and Filiberto Azcuy.

Meanwhile, Frank Chamizo, third in the 55 kg in Moscow; Alejandro Valdes (60), Livan Lopez (66),  Yuniesky Blanco (74) and Disney Rodriguez (120), will compete in free style, directed by Julio Mendieta.

Sources of the National Wrestling Commission told ACN that the event will give tickets for the London 2012 Olympic Games, and that Russia, Azerbaijan, the Ukraine, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Iran and Bulgaria, will be Cuba’s main rivals.