Omara Durand

Havana, May 21 (ACN).- The stellar Cuban sprinter Omara Durand, multiple Paralympic and world champion, suffered from an old injury shortly before debuting at the World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan, to be held until the next day. 25.

    Durand, owner of 14 gold medals in universal competitions in the T12 category (deep visual impairment), was supposed to run with her guide Yuniol Kindelán in the 400 meters (m) heats, but that setback prevented her from competing in preliminary heat 1 .

     This was confirmed to the press from the event headquarters by Jorge Reinaldo Palma, head of the Department of Sports for People with Disabilities of the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (Inder), who traveled at the head of the Cuban delegation.

    During the warm-up, just before entering the call room, she felt discomfort and that is why we preferred that she not appear in the 400 m heats, Palma explained about Durand, who intended to revalidate her crowns in that event and in the 100 m. and 200 m, category T12 (deep visual impairment).

    He added that this situation does not compromise her participation in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, where we are sure that she will continue contributing medals to the country, the manager assured, recognizing the value and dedication of the multi-medallist in top-level competitions.

    This Monday in Kobe, discus thrower Leonardo Díaz (F56) also had to compete for the Island, who was disqualified because the judges considered that her chair did not meet the technical requirements.

    In this regard, Palma said that it is the throwing chair that Díaz has used in multiple international competitions and now it was not validated by the call camera official. Although he insisted on the possibility that he could change it, we were not allowed, he stated.

    Furthermore, he confirmed that the Cuban delegation conveyed its disagreement with this position to the organizers.

    In this event of the para-athletics world, the winners of the gold and silver medals secure direct places to Paris 2024.

    Along with Durand, so far long jumper Robiel Yankiel Sol Cervantes (T46) and javelinist Ulicer Aguilera (F11) have guaranteed their tickets for the Caribbean nation.

    In the case of Sol Cervantes, he won the gold medal this Saturday with a mark of 7.60 m, and repeated his title from last year to achieve Cuba's first gold medal in that competition on Japanese soil.