Omara Durand, five-time Paralympic and world champion, heads the group of para-athletes set to take part in the Tunis Grand Prix, scheduled March 18-20.
The event marks the return to competition of the “Queen of Speed” in the T12 category (profoundly visually impaired), after more than a year away from the track due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Tunisian event will award eight places for the Tokyo Paralympic Games in each category. To date, only Durand and javelinist Uliser Aguilera have met requirements to participate in the grand event.
Cristian Guillen (400 meters), Leonardo Diaz (discus), Guillermo Varona (javelin) and Yunidis Castillo will be competing to qualify, the latter in both the 400 meters and the long jump.
Since mid-February, Cuban para-athletes have been training in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where they are continuing to prepare through March 14.
Meanwhile, Juan Miguel Echevarría and Liadagmis Povea have been granted direct qualification to the World Indoor Championships Belgrade-2022, after winning winter track and field circuit.
A total of 11 Cuban athletes have earned tickets to the event in the Serbian capital, after winning gold medals during the season. Only two athletes per country in each discipline may attend the World Championships, although wild card entry allows for the possibility of a third competitor.
Echevarría has dominated the long jump, winning the three meets in which he participated (Karlsruhe, Lievin and Madrid), while Povea took part in two competitions, winning a title and third place, in Karlsruhe and Madrid, respectively.
