We're going to Tokyo for a medal, says Juan Miguel Echevarría's coach

HAVANA, Cuba, Jul 7 (ACN) Daniel Osorio, coach of the outstanding Cuban long jumper Juan Miguel Echevarría, said that his pupil's goal is to get a medal in the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games and praised his good preparation to that end.

Without disregarding the COVID-19 health protocols, the technical manager of the national track and field commission pointed out that all they have in mind is to be in optimal physical and mental shape.

“Juan Miguel is fine, relaxed and focused on his training and the competitions in Europe with his sights set on what lies ahead,” he said. “The first step will be to qualify for the long jump final and then he will do his best to be on the podium.”

Echevarría, indoor champion in Birmingham 2018 and bronze medalist in the outdoor championships in Doha 2019, finished second in the Wanda 2021 Diamond League, held in Stockholm, Sweden. He jumped 8.29 m, not enough to beat the Jamaican Tajay Gayle (8.55 m), world champion two years ago in Qatar.

On June 29, he was one of the five Cuban athletes who won in the VIII Trofeo Diputación de Castellón competition in Spain. There he registered his best jump so far this year, 8.38 m.