Sigfredo Banderas, Marcia Garbey and Osvaldo

Havana, January 3 (RHC) - Three Cuban athletics glories have passed away in recent days, mourning this discipline in the country and the Cuban sports movement.

Former coach Sigfredo Banderas, and former athletes Osvaldo Lara and Marcia Garbey died in late 2023 and early 2024.

Banderas, who died Tuesday in Havana at the age of 75, trained several Olympic and world medalists in the triple jump, including world champion and Olympic bronze medalist Yoelbi Quesada and Olympic medalist Yoel García.

Marcia Garbey

Marcia Garbey died in her native Santiago de Cuba at the age of 74. Sister of the recently deceased boxer Rolando Garbey and former major leaguer Barbaro Garbey, Marcia was the first Cuban jumper to reach an Olympic final, placing fourth at Munich 72, and won gold with the 4x100 relay at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg 67.

On the first day of 2024, the outstanding runner Osvaldo Lara died at the age of 68, victim of a heart attack.

Osvaldo Lara

Owner of a great explosiveness and a phenomenal start, Lara was an Olympic finalist in the 100 and 200 meters in the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games and is considered one of the best sprinters in the history of Cuban athletics.

With great sorrow for the irreparable losses, our radio station conveys condolences to the families of the deceased and to the Cuban athletics family.