Sarah Mitton

Havana, March 1 (RHC) - Canadian Sarah Mitton took the first title at the World Indoor Athletics Championships, which kicked off Friday in Glasgow, Scotland.

Mitton dominated the women's shot put final with a season's best of 20.22, followed by Germany's Yemise Onguleye (20.19, personal best) and the United States' Chase Jackson (19.67).

Three more finals will be contested on Friday.

In other first preliminary events of the day, Spain's Maria Vicente dominated the 100m hurdles for the pentathlon with 8.07 seconds, while in the high jump of the same event the best was Bianka Salming (Sweden with 1.82).

The Dutch Lieke Klaver (51.31) and Femke Bol (52.00) qualified for the 400m semifinals, as did Susane Gogl, with an Austrian national record (51.43).

In the men's event, Czech Matej Krsek was the best of all the qualifiers (46.07), and Jamaican Rushen McDonald also advanced (46.25), a personal best.

In the women's 800, Great Britain's Jemma Reekie was the fastest of all those registered (1.59.45), followed by Italy's Eloisa Coiro (1.59.76 PB). The well-known Habitam Alemu (ETI) 2.00.50, Natoya Goul (JAM) 2.00.83, also advanced to the semifinals.

Belgium's Bryce Hoppel was the fastest in the men's 800 (1.46.15) followed by Spain's Mohamed Ataoui (1.46.20).

The competition will be attended by 651 athletes from 133 countries, including Cuba, which will field four triathletes, two for each gender.

Considered one of the powers in athletics, Cuba will present in this World Indoor Championships with triplists Lázaro Martínez, exponent champion, Leyanis Pérez, Cristian Nápoles and Liadagmis Povea.

In the triple jump, Cuba is the country with the highest medal count with 19 medals (4-8-7).

The Cubans will debut on Saturday in the men's triple jump and one day later the women will compete.In the historical medal tally, Cuba ranks in the top ten with 51 medals (19-17-15), second only to the great powers.Eighteen Belgrade-2022 champions, including Cuba's Lazaro Martinez, will compete in Glasgow.

On Saturday, the two Cuban triple jumpers, Lázaro Martínez and Cristian Nápoles, will compete in a list of 15 triple jumpers from 12 countries.One day later, on Sunday, Leyanis Perez and Liadagmis Povea will compete in a final where 13 triple jumpers from 16 countries will compete, and the extra-class Yulimar Rojas, who decided not to attend this world championship, will be missed.Cuba has been present in all the editions held and only left without medals in Portland-2016

High jumper Javier Sotomayor is the youngest medalist in history (silver at Paris-85, aged 17 years and 97 days) and one of the top medal winners with 6 medals (4-1-1).