Seven Cuban parathletes qualified for Tokyo 2020

HAVANA, Cuba, Jun 28 (ACN) Sprinters Omara Durand and Leinier Savon lead the group of seven Cubans who have so far qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, which will be opened on August 24.

The official list was announced by Jorge Reynaldo Palma, technical chief of the Department of Sports for Persons with Disabilities, and also includes discus thrower Leonardo Diaz, bronze medalist in Rio de Janeiro 2016, and veteran long jumper Angel Jimenez Cabeza.

Javelinists Ulicer Aguilera (F-13/visually impaired) and Guillermo Varona (F-46/upper limb affected), and long jumper Robiel Yankiel Sol (T-47/upper limb amputee) complete the list of places assigned to the Caribbean nation.

Omara, who competes along with her guide Yuniol Kindelan in the T-12 category (profoundly visually impaired), will seek to increase her golden collection in this type of events, in which she has five titles, and will try to defend her reigns in 100, 200 and 400 meters (m) flat.

For Leinier, also from the T-12, the challenge will be in the 100 m and the long jump, because this time the 200 m for men in his class was not called, so he cannot revalidate the title won in Rio de Janeiro 2016.

In the case of Leonardo (F-56/ wheelchair), he will try to improve his bronze medal from five years ago and remember his performance in Beijing 2008, when he reached the top of the podium.

Meanwhile, Jimenez Cabeza (T-12) will return to the Paralympic context with the history of having won the long jump in Athens 2004 and won silver in the same event in London 2012.