Yumileidi Cumbá of Cuba takes the women's Shot Put silver medal in Olympia (© Getty Images)
Cuba’s 2004 Olympic women’s Shot Put champion Yumileidi Cumbá opened her season with a convincing 19.14m effort, while Guillermo Martínez threw the men’s Javelin to 82.78m, in the continuation of a series of local competitions for the Cuban national team in Havana, held 16 – 17 February.
Cumbá showed she is ready to bid for a medal in next month’s 11th IAAF World Indoor Championships, Moscow, Russia (10 -12 March) with a first round best of 19.14m, her furthest mark in Cuba in almost two years.
The 31-year old from the eastern province of Guantánamo also had another four efforts over 18m. Brazil’s 2003 Paris World Championships finalist Elisangela Adriano was second (16.35m), and 2005 South American champion Andrea M. Pereira was third (15.86m).
“It was a great start of the season and proves that I can get close to the form I had in 2004. I am recovered from an injury that delayed my training and I know what I need to do to get back in form," said a happy Cumbá.
She aims to medal again in the Worlds Indoors, as she did for the first time with a silver in Budapest 2004. She has taken part in three other editions, finishing fifth in Lisbon 2001, and sixth in both Maebashi 1999 and Birmingham 2003.
Misleidis Gonzalez, the 2004 Olympic finalist, did not compete as she is recovering from an injury.
Martinez throws best ever ‘Cuban soil’ effort
Also in the infield, Guillermo Martinez produced his best Javelin Throw ever on Cuban soil, a sixth-round effort of 82.78m, better than the 81.71m he threw on 2 February.
Early leader Yudel Moreno, who opened with 78.00m in the first round, had to be content with second, ahead of France’s Vitorio Tipotio (74.76m), the 2005 Mediterranean Games silver medallist, who concluded a successful 10-day training camp in Havana.
Another Olympic medallist, women’s Hammer Throw bronze winner Yunaika Crawford, started her competitive campaign with 69.06m and four other efforts over 67.80m. Current Pan American junior champion Arasay Tondike was second in 65.70m, followed by Brazil’s Josiane Soares (59.65m).
The men’s winner was Iosvani Suárez with 72.15m, closely beating national champion Erick Jiménez and Brazil´s Wagner Domingos (69.02m).
In the Triple Jump, Yoandri Betanzos landed at 17.19m (-1.8) a day after turning 24-years of age. Alexis Copello, 20, stayed consistent over 17m finishing second in 17.05m, ahead of David Giralt (16.97m). The women’s winner was 2003 Paris World Championships fifth place finisher Mabel Gay (14.25m), ahead of Olympic finalist Yusmay Bicet (14.15m).
Other winners were Lois M. Martínez (61.83m) and Yania Ferrales (63.57m) in the men's and women's Discus Throw. Ferrales had released the implement to 66.00m on 10 February..
On the track, Luis Alexander Reyes (10.51 seconds) and Roxana Díaz (11.61) respectively won the men’s and women’s 100m.
Yarisley Silva and Maryoris Sánchez both cleared 4.10m in the Pole Vault, while Lisvany Perez and Yanisleidis Fernández high jumped 2.20m and 1.85m, respectively.
Brazil’s South American champion Alessandra Nobre dominated the women’s Javelin Throw with 54.96m, while Yoisel Toledo put the shot to 18.03m.
Cuba’s Javelin World and Olympic champion and World record holder Osleidys Menendez is scheduled to make her first official test this weekend (25 / 26 Feb), with Sonia Bisset, currently third in the event in IAAF World Rankings, and Bahamas´ five-time CAC champion Laverne Eve also in the starting list.
Javier Clavelo Robinson for the IAAF
