Cuban athletics in the last two years has seen the increased presence of upcoming young and talented figures in almost all disciplines, sparking expectations for outstanding future results in the millenary sport.
This will be a momentous year for Cuban athletes. As well as an international calendar loaded with top-level events (Diamond League, Pan American Games and World Championships), 2019 marks the prelude to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. As the season unfolds, we should gain a better perspective on the medal possibilities in Japan.
According to Yipsi Moreno, national athletics commissioner, preparations to date can be described as positive, since athletes have training better conditions as compared to last year.
“The majority of athletes have complied with plans designed by their trainers for each competition. There are some areas that are not quite right, and measures have been adopted with the aim of ensuring that these athletes make the final leap expected of them,” she explained.
Moreno noted that one of the most difficult events is the 400 meters, particularly in the men’s competition. Athletes have yet to consistency approach their personal bests, and secure a time of about 46 seconds each in the long relay.
In the case of the women’s 4x400m relay, the situation is completely different, as the team for this race includes athletes who compete in the 400 meters hurdles and 800 meters race, events in which individually they perform well.
“We are not entirely satisfied with the group of young athletes that we have in the national pre-selection roster. It is worth remembering that we started almost from scratch in a good number of areas. Forty athletes with immediate prospects joined the Cuban team, and with them we drew up a program to achieve optimal physical preparation. The idea is to take care with them, so that in the future there will not be a drop in their performance,” said the national commissioner.
They have talent, Moreno affirmed, based on the fact that they are athletes with in good physical condition. As such, the first results of this new strategy are expected in the upcoming Pan American U20 Athletics Championships, where the most experienced athletes of the national team will compete.
“This group is already preparing to take on the next Olympic quadrennium (2020-2024) and we are optimistic, we believe that we are on the right track. With them we have put science at the service of sport. Nothing has been improvised. It is a long-term effort,” she stressed.
Regarding training in the lead-up to the Lima 2019 Pan-American Games, Moreno argued that planning for the continental competition must be objective.
“All the training we are undertaking has as its fundamental goal the Lima Games. It is still too early to offer a medal forecast. This is a sport that contributes significantly to the Cuban medal count, and right now the essential aspect is that the pre-selection team completes the intended training cycles.
“It is no secret to anyone who our main contenders for gold medals are. Without mentioning names, because some may come as a surprise, we believe that this sport will fulfill the expectations of the delegation in Lima. The physical shape of athletes in the Peruvian capital should be about 98 to 100%,” she concluded.
Another significant event will be the World Championships in Doha, Qatar, September 27 through October 6, to which Cuba will send a smaller delegation than to Lima.
