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News13 Oct 2001


Injuries forced retirement says Sotomayor

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Injuries forced retirement says Sotomayor
Reuters

13 October 2001 - Havana - High jump world record holder Javier Sotomayor made his decision to retire because of injury, the Cuban revealed on Saturday.

“It’s a decision that has taken everyone by surprise, but it was my decision, really for technical reasons, regarding the injuries I’ve had of late,” he said pointing out that he had originally planned to retire in a year’s time.

Sotomayor said he hoped his 2.45-metre world record set in 1993 stood for a long time to come.

“I hope they never break it, I sincerely hope it lasts for many more years,” Sotomayor, who was celebrating his 34th birthday with family and fellow athletes the day after announcing his retirement, told Reuters in Havana.

Tendon injuries have hampered Sotomayor’s recent performances—at the world championships in Edmonton, Canada in August he came a disappointing fourth with 2.33 meters.

The popular Cuban won gold at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 and silver at last year’s Sydney Olympics.

He was banned for two years after a positive test for cocaine at the 1999 Pan American championships, but subsequently reinstated under the world governing body’s exceptional circumstances clause.

At the time of the ban, Sotomayor, backed by an indignant Cuban President Fidel Castro, claimed he had been framed.

“It’s a strange day. It’s a mixture of being happy and not so happy,” said Sotomayor referring to his birthday celebrations and the coming to terms of his retirement.

“I had to reach retirement even though I would have preferred not to.

“To maintain jumps over 2.35 metres, the training has to be tougher and tougher, and I thought that is going to be a bit difficult for me now.”

Sotomayor, who jumped two metres at the age of 15, went on to clear 2.40 metres 20 times in his career.

Now he plans to become a high jump trainer in Cuba’s state-run sports system. “I’ll take a course to prepare as a trainer, then I’ll work with the Cuban Athletic Federation,” he said.

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