Cuba to attend Tokyo Paralympic Games with 16 athletes

HAVANA, Cuba, Jul 16 (ACN) Cuba will attend with 16 athletes and a guide to the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, to be held from August 24 to September 5, according to Jorge Reinaldo Palma, technical chief of the National Department of Sports for People with Disabilities.
Palma told the sports publication JIT that the Cuban delegation will also include executives, coaches, medical and paramedical personnel.

The group of competitors will be headed by multi-champion Omara Durand, who will participate in the 100, 200 and 400 meters (m) parathletics events, modalities in which she has great options to reach the top of the awards podium, as it happened in Rio de Janeiro 2016.

Uliser Aguilera and Guillermo Varona (javelin), Leonardo Diaz and Noraivis de las Heras (discus), Leinier Savon (100 m and long jump), as well as Robiel Yanquiel Sol and Angel Jimenez, also jumpers, will also be in action in parathletics.

Paralympic swimming paralympic record holder in the 100 m freestyle, Lorenzo Perez, is another of those committed to a medal.

Also competing in parajudo will be Gerardo Rodriguez (81 kg) and Yordani Fernandez (over 100 kg), para-cyclist Damian Lopez, Yunier Fernandez (table paratriathlon), Leidy Rodriguez and Oniger J. Drake in para-weights and para-sprinter Yenigladys Suarez.

Seven of them were in the last Rio 2016 Games, when Cuba placed 18th in the medal standings by countries with a total of eight gold, one silver and six bronze medals.

The Caribbean nation Cuba will compete this time in seven disciplines, of which sport shooting is making its debut.