Famous for his arm recovery work, the 72-year-old professor from Pinar del Río has spent decades collecting broken hopes from the clay to create champions, by bringing back to the field many pitchers suffering from discomfort and injuries, who one day thought they had arrived at the end of their careers.

Beyond being a scientist, he is a craftsman, an inexhaustible source of knowledge and a bridge between the athlete and success, which has been essential in the development of this sport.

The pitchers who have had the privilege of passing through his hands have obtained more than a thousand victories, several of them wearing the uniform of the Cuba team.

¨Receiving this award at my age is a tremendous honor. I feel very satisfied that after 50 years of work they have put me in the spotlight to honor me in this way,” he declared to Prensa Latina.

«I think this is a product of my perseverance for so long. I am old and I have been sick, but that has never limited me from continuing to fight and work. That they award it to me here, within the most important scientific-sports event in the country, makes me feel more excited,” he added.

One of the most high-profile cases that bear Cortina’s signature is that of Mariano Rivera, a young infielder who became a pitcher and later became the closing star of the New York Yankees in professional baseball in the United States (MLB).

After his retirement, the Panamanian was elected to the Cooperstown Hall of Fame with 100 percent of the votes, something that had never happened in history.

The other recipient of this award was the great researcher Carlos Rodriguez, who was director of Science and Technology of the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation and vice-rector of research at the Manuel Fajardo Sports University.

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