Cuban triple jumper Povea wants to be a finalist in Tokyo Olympic Games

HAVANA, Cuba, May 24 (ACN) Cuban triple jumper Liadagmis Povea intends to be a finalist in the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games, although she admits that she has more ambitious goals.

In statements to ACN, Povea said that she expects to qualify for the Olympic triple jump finals, that is, to be among the 12 best, and then she will fight a medal.

“I know it won't be easy, but I'm training hard to be in top shape and do my best in this strong event," said the bronze medal winner at the Pan American Games in Lima 2019. “Right now I am in the stage of preparation; unfortunately, I can’t participate in the Doha Diamond League due to difficulties imposed by COVID-19, but I am ready for whatever comes next.”

About her technique in the jumps, she claims to have improved her arm movement, body rhythm and timing, whereas she added two steps to her run-up speed.

Povea’s trainer is former triple jump star Yoelbis Quesada, Olympic bronze medalist in Atlanta 1996 and world champion in Athens 1997.

This season, the Cuban athlete made her debut abroad with a victory in the indoor stop in Karlsruhe, Germany, where she nailed the spikes at the 14.54 meter mark. After that, she finished third place in a competition in Madrid, Spain, with 14.02 m, a far cry from her personal outdoor record (14.93 m), achieved this weekend in the Pan American Stadium in Havana.

Povea’s results in 2021 place her first in the winter circuit with 15 points, beating the American Tori Franklin on a tie-breaker.