Havana, December 1 (RHC)-- Cuban runner Miguelina Cobián, silver medalist in the 4x100 Olympic Games in Mexico in 1968, died Sunday. She was 78.

The president of the National Sports Institute, Osvaldo Vento, regretted on Twitter the death of the sprinter, known as the 'Gazelle of Oriente' and multiple gold medalist in the Pan American, Central American and Caribbean Games.

Vento recalled that Cobián was the most outstanding female athlete in the early years of Cuban track and field after the triumph of the Revolution in 1959.

Cobian was the first Cuban athlete to reach an Olympic final, fifth in 100 meters in Tokyo 1964 and eighth in Mexico 1968, she was part of the 4x100 relay that won a silver medal in the XIX Olympic Games Mexico 1968.

In addition, she is the second athlete from Cuba and America who has won the most medals in regional games with 14, eight in Central American and Caribbean Games and six in Pan American Games.

Cobián participated in a final competition at the Central Caribbean event in Panama in 1970, in which he suffered an injury and was unable to attend the Pan American Games in Cali in 1971 and the Munich Olympics in 1972, and for that reason she decided to retire from active sports.

After her retirement, she worked as a coach of school and youth athletes in the Sports Initiation Schools and the Superior School of Athletic Improvement until her retirement.

In November 2005 she was inducted into the Central American and Caribbean Confederation Hall of Fame.