Havana, January 21 (RR) - Ten figures of Cuban athletics travel this Saturday to Europe to compete from next Wednesday in several indoor rallies, with a view to the main competitions in 2023.

The small delegation will concentrate in Portugal, where it will carry out a training base.

Leading the group are triathlete Lazaro Martinez, world indoor champion in Belgrade-2022, and Tokyo-2020 Olympic bronze medalist in the long jump Maikel Massó.

"To take on the first test of fire of 2023, these athletes who will represent us in Europe, worked very rigorously with their respective coaches, in the Pan American Stadium in Havana, with the purpose of reaping good results in each presentation they have there," said the National Commissioner of Athletics, Rolando Charroo, in statements to colleague Yordanis Blanco.

This winter tour event will last approximately 50 days and the delegation will return on March 11, said the executive.

Along with Masó and Martínez, Maikel Vidal (long jump), Luis Enrique Zayas (high jump), Cristian Nápoles, Liadagmis Povea and Leyanis Pérez, all three in the triple jump, sprinter Shainer Reginfo, as well as Greisys Robles and Keily Pérez, both in the 100-meter hurdles, will also participate in the winter tour.

The first to compete for Cuba will be Reginfo and Robles on January 25 in Valencia, Spain, then there will be Cuban presence in Karlsruhe, Germany, on January 27, through the triple jumpers Leyanis and Povea. 

Luis Zayas will close the competitive program for the month of January, on January 31 at the athletic competition in Nehvizdy, in the Czech Republic.

With information from Yordanis Blanco Calderín