Hayla Gonzalez *** Photo: Chila Méndez
Havana, June 12 (RHC) - Long jumper Hayla González reaffirmed herself as one of the great talents of Cuban athletics, by dominating her event this Wednesday at the Ciudad de Guadalajara athletic meeting with a personal best (6.85m).
A 20-year-old native of Havana, González achieved the biggest growth spurt of his career in his second attempt at the Fuente de la Niña Stadium, to improve by 20 cm his personal best, achieved last May at the Pan-American Stadium in eastern Havana.
With that jump she was just one centimeter away from qualifying directly for Paris-2024 (min 6.86) and climbed to fourth place in history on the island, behind Lisett Cuza (RN 6.99), Niurka Montalvo (6.93) and Yargeris Savigne (6.91) . Montalvo jumped over 7.00m (7.06), but by then she had already become a Spanish national in 1999.
Hayla's progression in recent years has been spectacular. She from 5.99 she in 2022 she at 18 years old she has reached 6.85 this year.
“I was hoping today that she would at least make a personal best, since in the Cuba Cup (May), she jumped very long. With the shape he is in, we can expect great results,” his current coach, Iván Izaguirre, told Radio Habana Cuba from Spain.
For his part, his coach in the youth categories, Adonis Matos, was happy and recalled that his student was always very combative, although due to her small height (today 1.67m) the doors of the national team did not open easily for her. despite holding the titles of Cuba school and youth.
“She is a dedicated, persevering, courageous, intelligent, nerveless and very competitive athlete. In addition, she has good technique,” recalled Adonis, son of the phenomenal Milan Matos, who led Iván Pedroso and Yargeris Savigne to glory.
In other results of the XXIII edition of the Guadalajara meeting, the Pan American champion Sahily Diago won the 800m with her best time of the season (2.02.84 min), while the also monarch of Santiago-2023, Yunisleidy García , was second in the 100m (11.42), but reached a season mark in the semifinals (11.36).
Yoandys Lescay (400m) again dropped from 46 flat and was second with his best time of the year (45.60), while Maikel Vidal had a day to forget in length, jumping just 6.31 and committing several faults.
Léster Lescay, independent of the Cuban Athletics Federation (FCA), dominated the event with 8.20.
The next presentation of Cuban athletics in Europe will be on Sunday at the Meeting Troyes Aube (France), with category C of World Athletics (WA). That day Yunisleidy, Lescay and Diago will appear again in search of brands that will classify them directly to Paris. Also the already Olympic qualified Shainer Reginfo (100m), Roxana Gómez (400m) and Rose Almanza (800).
So far, Cuban athletics has 9 figures classified for the next Olympic event.
