Yipsi Moreno of Cuba wins the Hammer Throw at the Pan American Games (© Getty Images)
Double World Hammer champion Yipsi Moreno confirmed her fine form towards the Olympic Games, when she posted a far 73.24 to successfully end her first training stage on the road to Athens, last Thursday 18 March.
The 23-year old started with a long foul, followed by 73.24 and another foul as the hammer hit the cage. She then released the 4kg implement to 72.86 and another throw over 70m, but she intentionally fouled it as she was dissatisfied with the throw. She ended the competition with 71.64.
Expected a bit more
"Assessing my results, I can say I had a good start regarding marks. Personally, I am not fully satisfied as I expected a bit more. But it just did not happen. I either did not feel well or I was anxious. I will gain experience from these competitions in order to have a better second training stage", explained the Pan American gold medallist.
Moreno will take a 10 days off to visit her parents in her hometown Camaguey, 535km east from Havana, before resuming training again at the end of March. "We will start all over again, but we will compete more internationally to get to Athens in the best possible form," she added.
Recalling her Olympic debut in Sydney, the best Cuban sportswoman of 2003 said: "I competed in a crowded stadium and with a lot of noise. It helped me to face major events as the World Championships. Obviously, I want to improve my fourth place in 2000 and reach the Olympic podium.”
72.53m average
Moreno made her 2004 debut with a far 73.65 on February, followed by 73.70 on March 4, 74.43 on March 11 and 73.24 this Thursday. She has averaged 72.53 in her 16 valid throws this year.
Improving her national and area record (75.14) means getting closer to the World record standard (76.07), set by Romania's Mihaela Melinte in 1999. Russia's European champion Olga Kuzenkova (75.68) is the other woman ahead of her on the all-time world lists.
Crawford also over 70 metres
Yunaika Crawford went over 70 metres for the fourth time in her career and improved her personal best from 70.79 to 71.62. Crawford was second at the 2000 World Junior Championships in Santiago de Chile and the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo. Aldenay Vasallo finished third with 67.52.
"I am so happy and I am confident I can perform well in the Olympics. We are very close as a group and things are done better when we work collectively", said Crawford.
Three juniors went over 60 meters: 17-year old Arasay Thondike (63.56), Indira Salinas (62.24) and Daimara Rovira (61.09). Two of them should represent the Island at the World Junior Championships in Grosseto, Italy, July 13-18.
In the opinion of their coach Eladio Hernandez, “we have accomplished what we planned and some have better their personal bests.” Regarding her best pupil's world record quest, he stated that “I trust her talent, but she has to work on some technical and psychological details. She knows she is ready to break it, but she should focus on doing the right things on the circle without thinking of the World record.”
Hernandez and his assistant, Hammer record holder Alberto Sanchez, hope to include three women in the Olympic final.
Women's hammer was introduced in Cuba in 1995 and the national record has improved by more than 30 metres in less than a decade. This event, and the women's Javelin, Triple Jump and the men's High Hurdles are Cuba's best medal chances in Athens.
Two more Junior Triple Jump hopes
Men's triple jump has discovered two new hopes who aim to make the national team for the 10th World Junior Championships in Italy.
Alexis Copello, 18 years old and 1.86 metre tall, landed at 16.90 to improve his personal best by 0.36m. Copello, who will turn 19 on 12 August, hopes to become the 16th Cuban to break the 17 metre mark. He was followed by 17-year old Rene Leandro Mola (16.50). Both are currently ranked ahead of World Youth champion Dennis Fernandez (16.20), who also aims to make the squad for Grosseto.
Next stop April 23-25
This meeting, held on Thursday (18 March) at the Estadio Panamericano in eastern Havana, was the final one of a series of competitions organized in February and March, as part of the preparation of many Cuban athletes towards the Summer Games in the Greek capital.
Cuban athletics will be in action again April 23-25 in Havana during the 2nd National Olympics, before travelling to Europe for the final tune-up prior to Athens.
