Team Cuba - Profile

Cuba won five gold medals out of an overall total of 11 at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Three of the titles came in boxing, while the other two gold medals were won in Greco-Roman wrestling. Wrestler Mijain Lopez won his third consecutive Olympic gold medal following victories in Beijing and London.

Cuba won a gold medal on its Olympic debut at the 1900 Games in Paris, where fencer Ramon Fonst, who was age 16 at the time, triumphed in the men's individual epee. He successfully defended his title at the 1904 Games, in addition to claiming gold medals in the men's individual foil and as part of a mixed NOC team foil event. Fonst also competed at the 1924 Games, but did not win a medal.

Between 1924 and 1960, athletes from Cuba won just one Olympic medal - a silver in sailing at the 1948 Games in London. The NOC had to wait until 1972 for its next gold medal, with three boxers claiming Olympic titles in Munich. Since then Cuba has had huge success in the boxing ring, claiming a total of 37 gold medals to date, second only to the United States of America [with a total of 50 gold medals]. Cuba's most successful boxers are Felix Savon [1992 - 2000] and Teofilo Stevenson [1972 - 1980] who both won gold medals at three consecutive Games in the heavyweight division.

Cuba has won more gold medals in baseball than any other NOC at the Olympic Games. The Cuban baseball team have claimed gold at three of the five Olympic Games in which the sport has been part of the programme, and were beaten finalists on the other two occasions. The NOC has also excelled in athletics, winning a total of 11 gold medals. Highlights include Alberto Juantorena's double in the men's 400m and 800m at the 1976 Games in Montreal, while high jumper Javier Sotomayor won gold at Barcelona 1992 and silver four years later in Atlanta. Cuba's most recent gold medal in athletics came at the 2008 Games in Beijing, where Dayron Robles won the men's 110m hurdles.

The Cuban women's volleyball team won three consecutive Olympic gold medals between 1992 and 2000. They were also bronze medallists at the 2004 Games in Athens.