Olympic track and field team to be defined next week

Havana, June 15 (RHC)-- Although it already has 18 competitors with the required minimum marks, Cuban athletics still has options to add other athletes and that is why it will wait until after June 20th to announce the final composition of its team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

National commissioner Yipsi Moreno talked to JIT and assured that they will wait until the fifth and last internal confrontation, planned for next weekend, to round up the selection, since some specialties would have to be defined among their qualifiers.

As an example, she mentioned the triple jump among men, in which Andy Díaz (17.63), Cristian Nápoles (17.38) and Jordan Díaz (17.49) have valid records (over 17.14 meters), but Lázaro Martínez (16.90) and Andy Hechevarría (16.81) choose to get them.

"When we included them in the pre-selection they were told that they were going to have opportunities in five confrontations and that's why we have to wait for this last one so that they all feel they have an equal chance," she explained about a strategy outlined from the beginning of the preparation for Tokyo.

Each country can take up to three competitors per event, and in the triple jump the Island will go with the maximum, as well as in the women's triple jump and the men's long jump.

The heptathlon of Yorgelis Rodriguez and Adriana Rodriguez in the last measurement of the season at the Pan American Stadium will be another moment to follow, as both seek to be included in the Olympic group.

Jorge Fernández in the discus and Reynier Mena in the 200 meters will also offer their maximum effort as a last option to reach the event under the five rings, although if they do not achieve the records, they will still have the possibility of entering by ranking, which will be made official after June 29.

About the athletes who have already traveled to Europe to compete and complete their preparation, Yipsi confirmed that they number a total of 13.  The long jumpers Juan Miguel Echevarría and Maikel Massó, the triple jumper Liadagmis Povea, the pole vaulter Yarisley Silva and the high jumper Luis Enrique Zayas are among those who joined the discus athletes Yaimé Pérez and Denia Caballero, who traveled at the end of May.

The members of the world champion 4x400 relay team, Zurian Hechavarría, Roxana Gómez, Lisneydi Veitía, Rose Mary Almanza and Sahily Diago, the last two of whom were transferred from Guatemala where they were training with Francisco Ayala, also began their preparations in the Old Continent.

After June 22 they will join the aforementioned Andy Diaz and Jordan Diaz, in addition to the female triple jumpers Davisleydis Velazco and Leyanis Perez.

Yipsi said that options for rallies are being sought for all of them, although the process has been unstable due to the suspensions caused by the pandemic, and it is necessary to readjust the schedule frequently.

In any case, she confirmed that Povea will be at the Madrid meeting (June 19), Juan Miguel at the Diamond League in Monaco (July 9) and the men's triple jumpers in Finland (June 26).

The Olympic hammer champion in Beijing 2008 ratified the importance of working with precision at this stage, when the goal will be for everyone to reach their maximum performance peaks at Tokyo 2020.