Cuba has achieved outstanding results at the Athletics World Championships for people with disabilities, taking place in Doha, Qatar, with strong performances by the stellar Omara Durand as well as Leonardo Díaz and Leinier Savón.
Omara Durand won her second gold medal of the tournament in the T-12 (severe visual impairment) 200 meters sprint, a result which also saw her set a new world record for the third time of 23.03 seconds, on October 25.
She beat her time of 23.38 seconds achieved in the qualifying rounds to secure her second title on the Suhhaim Bin Hamad Stadium’s track.
In the dispute for the gold, Durand defeated Ukrainian Oxana Boturchuk (23.98) and Elena Chebanu (24.54) of Azerbaijan.
The 24 year old from Santiago de Cuba turned out to be one of highlights of the competition, thanks also to setting a new T-12 400 meters world record, after finishing in a time of 53.05 seconds, again leaving Ukraine’s Oxana Boturchuk (54.92) and Edmilsa Governo (58.68) of Mozambique behind.
“I have found my ideal weight in the 56 kilograms division, with improvements in my strength and speed. Working with my guide Yuniol Kindelán has brought excellent results. I now feel more prepared, solid in the home stretch with a smooth start,” stated Durand days before competing at the Qatar event.
Her guide added: “Durand is very solid, she responds well to my signals on any track, has an enviable rhythm, is well coordinated around bends and gives it her all. It is a pleasure to share the track with her.” The pair’s debut couldn’t have gone better, gold and a new world record, with two events remaining.
By October 30, Durand is expected to win her third gold medal in the competition, and break the current 100 meters world record of 11.65 seconds she set in August during the 5th Parapan American Games, Toronto, Canada; thus retaining her title as the fastest disabled woman on the planet.
Meanwhile, discus thrower Leonardo Díaz achieved a throw of 45.10 meters in the event held in the capital of Qatar to renew his titles won in Christchurch, New Zealand 2011, and Lyon, France 2013.
A sequence of six throws all reaching around the 40 meters mark (43.70-45.10-40.93-44.09-42.41-40.46) was more than enough to relegate world record holder Ali Mohammad Yari (44.97) of Iran to second place, and Vietnamese HauNguyen Be (38.94) to third.
Cuba’s successful stint was completed by newcomer Lenier Savón’s gold medal in the T-12 100 meters. After setting a competition record of 10.77 seconds in the qualifying rounds, the 26 year old, at 1.65 meters tall, gave his rivals a repeat dose in the final, clocking 10.82 seconds. He fought off challenges from Artem Loginov (10.99) and Fedor Trikolich (11.07) of Russia, who won silver and bronze respectively.
The stellar Yunidis Castillo contributed her second silver medal for Cuba on October 26, after clocking a time of 59.79 seconds in the T-47 (upper limb affectations) 400 meters sprint, far off her world record time of 55.72 seconds set during the London 2012 Paralympic Games.
Still not in top form after recently giving birth, her result demonstrates that Castillo needs to recover in order to recuperate her natural speed and once again dominate on the track.
The Cuban was defeated by South Africa’s Anrune Liebeberg (56.65), while Alexandra Moguchaya (1:01.50) of Russia took third place.
Castillo previously secured silver in the T-47 long jump with a leap of 5.46 meters, only superseded by Carlee Beatie (5.75) of Australia, leaving Anna Grimaldi (5.41) of New Zealand in third.
Rounding off Cuba’s successful campaign was Ernesto Blanco who finished fourth in the T-47 men’s 400 meters sprint with a time of 49.14 seconds, an event won by Jaquvis Hart of the U.S., clocking 48.17 seconds and setting a new competition record.
Thus far, Cuba’s six disabled athletes have won a total of four gold and two silver medals, placing them 9th on the country medal chart by October 27, which at the time was led by China (22-12-7), Russia (10-8-16) and the United States (7-7-5), while the island sat in 19th place on the scoreboard with 57 points, also dominated by the Chinese (412), Russians (354) and U.S. (226), in a competition bringing together 1,232 athletes from 95 countries and which has seen 28 world records smashed thus far.
