Cuban-born Rodriguez Villanu. (1967) distinguished out as the first open category world champion at the 1989 judo tournament in Belgrade. The two silver medals she won in the Olympic Games in Barcelona and Atlanta came in the then +72kg division.
She also won four medals at the Pan American Games, including two gold medals in her hometown of Havana.
Rodriguez Villanu: Best Cuban Athlete
Due to her exceptional performance in the sport, Rodriguez Villanu. was named one of the top 100 Cuban athletes of the 20th century. As soon as she hung up her sneakers, she started working as a coach for the upcoming generation.
The entire judo community is heartbroken over the loss of Rodriguez Villanu., again another champion taken from us far too soon.
Rodriguez Villanu, a silver medalist at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona and the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta in the women’s over-72 kilogramme category, passed away at the 26 Surgical Clinical Hospital, according to a national outlet JIT.
Rodriguez Villanu. won gold in the open division at the 1989 World Judo Championships in Belgrade and the women’s over-72 kilogramme and open divisions at the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana, becoming her the first judoka from her country to achieve so.
Before she passed away, Rodriguez Villanu. had been elected into the Pan American Judo Confederation’s Hall of Fame and was coaching the national pre-selection team.
Final Words
Her body will be burned, and the ashes returned to Santiago de Cuba. After testing positive for the diuretic medication furosemide at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Rodriguez Villanu. was only reprimanded and allowed to keep her medals.
