Cuban Olympic Medalist Defects to U.S.

A 1992 Olympic bronze medal-winning wrestler, Lazaro Reinoso, has defected from Cuba and said he wants to compete for the United States.

Reinoso, 24, who finished second in the 1993 World Championships, said Friday in Miami he will seek political asylum. He left the 13-member Cuban national team while clearing customs Thursday night at Miami International Airport as the team was heading to a meet at Teaneck, N.J.

“He said his biggest ambition was to come to the United States to be a free man and to compete as a member of the U.S. wrestling team,” said Mario Miranda, spokesman for the Cuban American National Foundation.

Two other Cuban wrestlers, Jesus Wilson, 22, and Josvani Negret, 26, got off the same plane, left the airport and were still missing.