Havana, December 30 (RHC) - Cuban pole vaulter Aslin Quiala opened the winter season with a record of 4.30m, good for second place at the Indoor Athletics Meeting in Navarra (Spain).
Aged 25 and born in Santiago de Cuba, Quiala was only surpassed by Spain's Andrea San José, the only one to achieve 4.40m.
Bronze medalist at this year's Pan American Games in Santiago de Chile, the Cuban athlete cleared heights of 4.00m, 4.10, 4.20 and 4.30 in her first attempt, and then failed three times over 4.40, the best she has ever achieved in her life.
Behind San Jose and Quiala were Spain's Ana Carrasco and Italy's Roberta Bruni, also with 4.30.
"For her first competition of the winter season it's a very good result. We are going little by little, with the goal that she can qualify for the Paris-2024 Olympic Games," her coach Alexandre Navas told Radio Habana Cuba.
Currently based in Pamplona, Navas commented that both Quiala and Rosaidi Robles - she failed her three attempts over 3.90 - arrived in Spain "a few days ago" and are in the middle of their preparation phase "with loads".
Now they will continue their preparation in Pamplona and their next competition is scheduled for January 13, also in Spain.
In the indoor competition in Navarra, the Cuban nationalized Italian Andy Díaz also stood out, winner in the triple jump (16.90m).