Pugilista: Cuba’s Women Boxers Are Fighting To Make History At the Olympics

Yakelín Estornell

Like many of her teammates, Yakelín Estornell came from a different sports background. The middleweight had been a former member of the Cuban wrestling team, making the unlikely jump to boxing when she was 37. She works tirelessly at improving her agility and technique every day to boost her natural punching power.

She finds a lot of her motivation from her 13-year-old son, who lives with her family in Guantanamo while she trains. ”He’s really proud,” she says. “I tell him, ‘Papi, at school, you also have to be a good athlete. You have to be disciplined with your studies and with your training,’ and we both support each other.”

She finds a lot of her motivation from her 13-year-old son, who lives with her family in Guantanamo while she trains. ”He’s really proud,’ she says. “I tell him, ‘Papi, at school, you also have to be a good athlete. You have to be disciplined with your studies and with your training,’ and we both support each other.”