Lázaro Rivas took up wrestling in 1984 and was selected to the Cuban national team in 1995. Wrestling Greco-Roman, Rivas was considered as one of the world’s best bantamweight wrestlers at the turn of 21st century. Starting as a flyweight, Rivas made his international début at the 1996 Olympics, where he finished fifth. Later that year, he won a World Cup bronze. In 1997, Rivas moved up to bantamweight and won silver at the 2000 Olympics, won gold at the 1999 World Championships, and bronze at the 2001 World Championships. He was a gold medalist at the 1999 Pan-American Games and the 1997, 1998 and 2000 Pan-American Championships. In 2002 Rivas again moved up in class, to featherweight, and won bronze at the 2003 World Championships, silver at the 2005 World Cup and won at the 2003 Pan-American Games, the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games and the 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006 Pan-American Championships.
After finishing his sporting career, Rivas worked as a physical education teacher in his hometown of San Nicolás de Bari. On 22 December 2013, Rivas attended a concert performed by local band El Yonqui and after the concert had finished around midnight he was stabbed 11 times in his back and neck. Rivas was rushed to the provincial hospital located 30 km away in San José de las Lajas, but died there a few hours later due to blood loss and a massive heart attack.
Cuba