Díaz-Canel congratulates Omara Durand for tremendous performance

Havana, September 4 (RHC)-- Communist Party First Secretary and President of the Republic Miguel Díaz-Canel today congratulated world record holder Omara Durand Elías and her guide Yuniol Kindelán, after winning the 200-meter dash class T12 at the 16th Paralympic Games.

"How are you doing Omara?  Congratulations to you and your guide.  Tremendous performance.  We are very proud of you.  How are you feeling?" the president said initially through the telephone line.

"I heard your words in the morning on the radio on my way to work.  Very nice, with tremendous emotion," the president added.

"Cuba has followed you, and the entire delegation, which has played a very worthy role in these Paralympic Games. We are proud of you. This shows the dedication and commitment, and also the possibilities given by the Revolution for people like you to go ahead and give these moving examples," Diaz-Canel said.

"In reality we are very grateful for the opportunity that the Revolution gives us athletes with disabilities to fulfill our dreams.  Our dream is to run, and we run with our hearts to bring joy to the people of Cuba.  Thank you very much, President," Omara said in response.

"A greeting to the entire delegation, for the medalists and for the non-medalists, because they have had a great performance and we will see you when you are here," the president replied.

Before concluding, he asked the guide Kindelán how it was to run next to Omara. The young man assured that he must train a lot, very hard, because "you and everyone is seeing that she is very fast, but I do it with tremendous love."

"You are an Olympian too.  All my love to you," Díaz-Canel said.