Dayron Robles of Cuba after winning the CAC 110m Hurdles title (© José Merino)
The revelation of the 2006 summer, 20yearold sprint hurdler Dayron Robles has been preparing for his first “full” indoor season.
Runner up at the last year’s World Athletics Final in a race where he improved on former Olympic champion Anier Garcia’s Area standard, the Cuban is likely to be one of the main contenders in the highly anticipated 110m Hurdles final in Osaka’s World Championships.
“The end of the year was very special for me. In Havana, we celebrated 20 years of success of Cuban sprint hurdling with our coach Santiago Antunez and our team-mates.
“On 26 December, we did our first test towards the indoor season: men against women with a five-meter gap (60 to 55). I played catch-up with (2002 World junior champion) Anay Tejeda and I won the second heat. My best time was 7.53.
“A day later, I arrived in my hometown of Guantanamo, the easternmost province of Cuba, to celebrate the New Year with my family and friends.
“2004 Olympic champion Yumileidi Cumbá and I were selected as the best sportspeople of our province in 2006 and we had different activities related to that. One of my best friends and 2005 World Championships silver medallist Yargelis Savigne was also selected among the top 10 and invited to the celebrations.
“I was also chosen among the top 10 best sportsmen and women of Cuba in 2006, as well as in Latin America.
“On 30 December, we celebrated the second birthday of my cousin Thalia. The 31st and 1st January were two great days with my whole family. My family is big with six aunts and two uncles on my dad’s side, as well as two more aunts on my mom’s.
“You eat more than usual during those days, but I kept training in Guantanamo to keep my shape, with the help of my former coach Miguel Martínez, who I consider my second father after the death of my dad in 1998.
“I returned to Havana on 7 January and resumed training at the Estadio Panamericano with the rest of my team-mates.
“I am finalizing our preparation for the indoor season, expected to start at the end of January. I would have loved to be present for my youngest sister Dayneris’ 9th birthday party on 16 January, but I have to focus on training.
“I look forward to doing my first full indoor season. Last year, I only did three races, all in one day, at the World Indoor Championships in Moscow, where I achieved my first senior global medal (silver).
“I will write more to you from Europe after the indoor season gets underway. I hope to improve my personal best of 7.46 and get close to the national record of 7.37.”