Cuban athlete Roberto Hernandez

Havana, July 5 (RHC)-- Former athlete Roberto Hernandez, one of the stars of Cuban athletics in its golden age, died Monday in a Havana hospital at the age of 54, victim of complications due to his already deteriorated health.

This was confirmed to Radio Havana Cuba by world record holder in high jump Javier Sotomayor, one of his teammates for years in the Cuban athletics team and his personal friend since childhood, when they took their first steps in the king of sports in the town of Limonar (Matanzas).

"It is a very regrettable loss.  He suffered from several pathologies and a few months ago he overcame a cerebrovascular event from which he did not fully recover and left sequels.  Over the weekend, he had to be hospitalized with deteriorated health," lamented Sotomayor, who visited him daily in the last days at the hospital in Havana, where they did everything possible to save his life.

Affectionately nicknamed "Angola" by his friends, Hernandez was one of the best 400-meter runners in the world between 1984 and 1993, a period in which he won Olympic and world medals and was among the best in the world.

His extensive record includes two titles in the World Cup of Barcelona-89, in 400 and 4x400, the Olympic silver medal in Barcelona 92 (4x400), as well as the current national record for the lap of the oval (44.14 sec).

He also won bronze at the World Athletics Championships in Rome-87, also with the 4x400 relay, which set a national record of 2.59.16 min and became the best in the world in the 300 m.

Hernández was respected and loved by the Cuban athletics family, as well as by Cuban sports lovers around the world.

Condolences to his family and friends.