“I can only tell our people that I will run with all my might, to win, the time will be set on the track,” the athlete from Santiago de Cuba stated, having set a record time of 23.67 seconds in the 200 meters T12 (profound visual impairment) event held in the Joao Havelange Olympic stadium.

Her guide Yuniol Kindelán noted the sprinter’s excellent condition and reaffirmed that we can expect the most from her.

Meanwhile, five-time Paralympic champion, Yunidis Castillo, was injured in the 100m T47 (upper limb impairment) final this Sunday, September 11. Having taken the lead in the first 15-20 meters, pain caused her to slow the pace and prevented her from repeating her gold medal of London 2012. A diagnosis is pending following her transfer to the hospital.

Among the action this Sunday, the bronze medal for Noralvis de las Heras in the discus throw F44 (lower limb impairment) stood out, with a throw of 32.47 meters to set a continental record on her return to the competition. The Cuban previously won bronze in the shot put F42-44 in Athens 2004.

“The shot put will be included in Tokyo, I’m going to improve my technique in the discus throw and train hard for the shot put,” the athlete from Guantánamo stated, who will turn 42 this September 19.

On Saturday, Cuba celebrated four bronze medal wins, the first for discus thrower Leonardo Díaz (43.50 meters, F54-56 category), who was prevented from securing his third Paralympic gold due to injury.

Meanwhile, judokas Yordani Fernández (100kg) and Yangaliny Jiménez (100kg +) also secured third places in the Carioca 3 Arena, which played host to the surprise victory of Uzbekistan as the top-ranking country in this sport (3 gold, 1 bronze, 6 silver).

The other bronze medal was won by María Luz Pérez in the long jump F42, with a record of 3.93 meters in the debut of Cuban athletes with prosthetic legs, known as blade runners.

Meanwhile, swimmer Lorenzo Pérez finished fourth in the 50m freestyle S6, and judokas Gerardo Rodríguez (73kg) and Jorge Hierrezuelo (90kg) both finished in fifth place.

(Granma)

“The Shadow” as the boxer from Camagüey is dubbed, was a true enigma in the 81kg final, managing to settle an old score from London 2012, when he was unexpectedly absent from the podium.

His rapid attack style saw him land direct hits on rival Adilbek Niyazymbetov of Kazakhstan. The performance secured him Cuba’s first boxing gold in Río, a feat Robeisy Ramírez and Arlen López will seek to emulate this Saturday.

(Granma)

At that time he was also looking forward to another important life event. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or a girl, I just want it to be born healthy,” he anxiously told me during the Games, having left his pregnant wife in Havana.

He had however hoped to win the gold medal in the 25 meters rapid-pistol fire competition before the birth of his daughter Celine, now three years old, and sister to an eight month old baby brother.

Before leaving for Río de Janeiro, this reporter spoke with the athlete from Holguin, born on April 9, 1977, and currently participating in his fifth Olympic Games.

“I feel in the best shape ever, although the challenge of defending my gold from London will be a difficult task. My aim is to make it to the finals and once there, we’ll see what happens.

I trained in the United States on two occasions with the team they’re sending to Río. Specifically, I shot against two of their main figures and achieved good results. As part of my training I also participated in two world cups and achieved my best result in Munch where I placed sixth.”
And since then…?
I haveimproved my performance in recent months. Let’s hope, because I am going to Río thinking of my two children and of Cuba, and I am going to do my very best.

FROM VETERAN TO ROOKIE

While this will be Pupo’s fifth Olympic Games, Manrique Larduet from Santiago de Cuba is a newcomer to the competition and very young – a prerequisite to winning in the gymnastics event, although the only way to truly triumph in this discipline is to gain the recognition of the judges at an international level.

What are you taking to Rio?

I performed some high-difficulty moves and everything went according to plan. I have nothing to lose inRío, so I’m going to enjoy the competition and when I return, I’m going straight back to Santiago, because I haven’t been there since 2014, given my intense training schedule.

I am planning on reaching the finals on various pieces of apparatus and once there, anything can happen. I’ve got several strategies worked out for the competition; I have a high difficulty routine on the parallel bars, which I tried out in the World Cup in Portugal, as well as important elements on the rings.

ROW HARD

Ángel Fournier is a seasoned rower. His silver medal this year in the men’s single sculls open during the first stage of the World Rowing Cup in Varese, Italy, and third place in Switzerland, stood as a warning to his rivals, all of whom he knows well.
We trained for 23 days in the United States and I think I have a good chance of making it to the finals, as one of the top six in the world, which means I must win four events. It’s important to qualify among the top three in each one, as such I’m hoping to better my seventh place spot in London 2012.

Are you still with kayaker Yusmari Mengana?

Yes, we’ve been together for two years now, she’s leaving for Río on the 10th and also has a good chance of doing well.

(Granma)

How is the Cuban delegation arriving to these Games as compared to the previous edition? Could you explain the main differences between the two…

Let me start by saying every scenario is different, and what happened four years ago confirmed Cuba’s global positioning. That is why doing better in Río de Janeiro is an important goal, which we have been working toward by developing the potential of our human resources to the maximum, who represent the greatest resource for our sporting movement, which lacks the vast economic support enjoyed by the major sporting powers.

Thus we have been working on perfecting methodologies, up-dating our knowledge, collaborating closely with scientists and researchers, analyzing opponents, statistics and resource management, which our country endeavors to provide us, conscious of what sport represents to millions of our citizens.

In short, rather than talking about differences I should point our that we have undertaken actions which we deem vital in the current context, and highlight the unrelenting work of athletes, coaches, medics, physiotherapists, psychologists and other experts.
Relatively speaking Cuba could do better in these Olympics than the most recent edition of the Pan American Games. How is this possible, if the Olympics are a bigger event that the Pan American Games?
It’s about the specifics of every event, which all demand different results to secure important positionings, and the results of a single sport or just a few competitors can have an important impact on overall outcomes in the Olympic Games.

Hence the importance of having 120 athletes competing in 18 sports, without disregarding the fact that we are stronger in some disciplines than others. We know that this constitutes an example of a strong all-round delegation, which many other countries lack.

Remember that despite an increasingly rigorous qualifying process, which implies greater costs, given a rise in the number of qualifying events, the majority of which are held outside of the Americas, we have more athletes and are competing in a greater number of events than in London 2012.

Although it’s true that our fourth place spot in Toronto 2015 left a lot to be desired, we are also certain that we gave it our all, an attitude we are taking with us to Río de Janeiro.

If I were to ask you to choose thee qualities which best sum-up the Cuban delegation’s preparation process, what would they be? And how would you describe the island’s sporting movement in the current international context, and what efforts are being undertaken to ensure that the country continues to be a global sporting power-house?

Our efforts have, above all, been characterized by the concept of teamwork, of opening spaces to all essential alliances and thinking about the importance of differentiated training based on the specific characteristics and potential of each athlete.

Another important element has been the participation of commissions and technical teams who use available resources – in accordance with our competitive and economic possibilities – to help athletes qualify for largest number of spots possible.

But no analysis would be complete without highlighting the constant follow-up and support offered by the country’s leadership and the Cuban Olympic Committee, without which it would not be possible to attain the high competitive level we have achieved to date, from training to medical support, anti-doping testing, dietary requirements, or meeting other needs.

It is also important to highlight the contribution of other bodies and institutions, and political and mass organizations, from the provinces and municipalities, without disregarding their very real limitations.

In regards to the international sporting situation, we regret the fact that it is being affected by drug-doping scandals and other ills driven by financial interests completely unrelated to the essence of sports.

We Cubans, loyal to the humanist spirit which guarantees sport as a right for all, are facing the challenge of increasing efficiency and better exploiting the knowledge we have acquired through mechanisms created by the Revolution, while at the same time, continuing to raise our level within the international sporting arena, through opportunities to participate in foreign leagues and other exchanges which will help to bring us closer to reaching the top competitive and training levels for both athletes and experts.

Do you have any information about the event facilities in Río and the Athletes’ Village, what is your view on the quality and organization of the Río Games?

The information we have suggests world class facilities and adequate organization for this type of event, and although we have been keeping informed about problems linked to budgeting issues, delays on certain works and other problems, we hope that this doesn’t prevent an overall positive outcome for what will be the return of this event to our continent.

Where do Cuba’s main hopes lie?

It is common knowledge that boxing will once again be a key discipline, given its legacy and the outstanding level achieved by Cuba’s national team, which features World and Olympic champions and medalists.

We also hope for good news in the athletics competitions, in wrestling and judo, which also include elite figures, as well as Taekwondo, gymnastics, shooting, rowing, cycling and canoeing, where every athlete will go out there and do their job.

Beyond predictions and prognostics, what can the Cuban people hope to see from national athletes competing in Río?
The only certainty is our conviction that we will triumph, effort, commitment, and responsibility for the task we have undertaken to the Cuban people who deserve all the effort and joy we can offer them, in honor of their humility and patriotism.

Athletes know that every time they go out to compete, they will be motivated by the goal of living up to the example set by Fidel, to whom we wish to give much joy on his 90th birthday, and Raúl, who has called on us to grow as the battle gets more difficult.

The maxim under which we will compete ‘Committed to our history,’ encapsulates all the symbolism with which we defend the Cuban flag, received at the foot of the Monument of Cuba’s national hero, José Martí.

(Granma)