Mexico City, Mexico. This Sunday, the relatives and neighbors of the town of Caimanera, in the province of Guantánamo, said goodbye to Ángel Fournier Rodríguez, considered the best rower in the history of Cuba.
The coffin was accompanied to the local cemetery by friends, relatives and authorities from INDER (National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation of Cuba). The burial took place with Cuban music to honor the athlete.
Upon learning of his death, his partner Yusmari Mengana asked for support to transfer the remains of her husband to Cuba. “From the bottom of my heart, help me to be able to send his body to Cuba, in the land where he was born. For being a great warrior, a great father, son, husband, a great champion and a partner and friend, ”she requested.
After two weeks, the remains of the Cuban were repatriated from Texas, United States where he resided. He is survived by two children ages five and three.
The mortal remains of Ángel Fournier, our best rower of all time, were transferred to #Cuba and they will rest in their native Caimanera. #InderCuba and the Guantanamo authorities are with their families at this sad moment. #CubanSport pic.twitter.com/mFMlAEaGC1
— INDER (@InderCuba) April 2, 2023
Born in the municipality of Caimanera (Guantanamo), on December 31, 1988, Ángel Fournier stood out in the single sculls modality, in which he won three medals in World Championships: silver in Chungju 2013 and Sarasota 2017, and bronze in Amsterdam 2014. .
He was also a four-time Pan-American champion in Guadalajara 2011, Toronto 2015 and Lima 2019, and an Olympic finalist in London 2012 and Rio 2016.
Fournier participated in three Olympic Games as a singles player. Her debut came at the 2008 Beijing edition, in which she finished in 12th place and did not reach the final. Four years later, in London 2012, he finished seventh, and in his last appearance, in Rio de Janeiro 2016, he improved his result by finishing sixth in the same event.
The month after winning the gold medal at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games, Ángel Fournier competed in the World Rowing Championships, in the Austrian city of Linz Ottensheim. There he would not be able to reach the semifinals and would have no chance of getting a ticket to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
In January of this year, Fournier assured the digital portal CyberCuba who was based in Dallas, Texas. On that occasion, the athlete did not rule out his return to active sport.
“I just turned 35 and I feel great. In effect, I requested my withdrawal and took advantage of the fact that I had a visa for five years. To restart my sports career, I have only one objective: to lose a little weight because, otherwise, I am physically fit. I have the expertise and experience. He would have to recover his sporting form”, Fournier said on that occasion.
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