Pedroso to carry Cuban flag in opening ceremony – Cuban Olympic team list

Havana, Cubatime women’s World Hammer champion Yipsi Moreno and women’s World Javelin record holder Osleidys Menendez head the 34-member team to represent Cuba at the Olympic Games in Athens.

Olympic champions Ivan Pedroso (Long Jump) - who will carry the flag for the entore team at the Opening ceremony today - and Anier Garcia (110m Hurdles) will try to defend their titles from Sydney 2000.

Moreno – sure favourite

Moreno, undefeated in 18 meetings since June 15, 2003, has confirmed herself as the world's no.1 in the Hammer throw. All her competitions have been over 71 metres, including her 20th Area record of 75.18 at the end of April in Havana. She backed it up with another massive 75.06 in Padova, Italy, in July. This season, she has won four IAAF GP meetings and the Iberoamerican gold in Huelva, Spain.

"Like all athletes I want to win the gold medal, but I just want to focus on doing things right on the circle and let's see what happens. I have had an excellent year and I would love to seal it with the Olympic gold", said the 23-year old from the central-eastern province of Camaguey.

Four years ago in Sydney, the then 19-year old finished fourth in her Olympic debut. "I was so close to the podium and I just want to improve that 4th place. I have gained more experience and I know how to control my nerves in very important competitions", she added.

She will be accompanied in the Hammer by her training partners Yunaika Crawford (71.75) and Aldenay Vasallo (67.52).

Menendez back to form in 2004

Menendez has also shown impressive form this season and she has clearly learned from a low par 2003, when she lost the no.1 spot for the event in the IAAF World Rankings.

The 2001 Edmonton World champion has produced the four best throws so far this year, including a 68.23 world lead in Havana, in March.

After nine consecutive wins and recovering the World Rankings top spot, she suffered a loss to Czech Nikola Brejchová in Linz, but she confirmed her fine form last week with two convincing efforts over 66 metres (66.99 and 66.58) to win the Iberoamerican crown. In Sydney, Menendez was the only woman to claim a medal in the Cuban team, when she finished third in her Olympic debut.

Sonia Bisset (65.93), fifth in Sydney, and Noraida Bicet (63.32) will also try to reach the Javelin final.

Pedroso and Garcia attempt defence

The Island's two Olympic champions, Pedroso and Garcia, have not had great seasons but they hope to peak at the right time in Athens.

Garcia showed he has recovered from injury with two good runs in Linz (13.36) and Zurich (13.34), his best times since September 2002. He claims to be close to his best shape and knows that he needs to run under 13.20 to clinch a medal.
His training partners Yoel and Yuniel Hernandez, both 2004 World Indoor Champs finalists, will also try to make the top eight in Athens.

Pedroso is not fully recovered yet and has only competed three times outdoors since finishing eighth in the 2004 World Indoor Championships in Budapest. His best jump has is 7.78 when third in the Iberoamerican tournament.

The five-time outdoor World champion by carrying the Cuban flag in the opening ceremony of the Summer Games, becomes the second track and field representative to head the Cuban delegation in an Olympic opening ceremony, as sprinter Jose Barrientos did it in Amsterdam 1928.

Cumba takes a Shot at gold

Another strong medal contender is shot putter Yumileidi Cumbá, who claimed the silver medal at the World Indoors in Budapest, improved her personal best by half a metre (19.97) to place herself fourth in the outdoor world list. She was sixth in Sydney.

The triple jumpers also hope to repeat a fine performance as they did last summer at the 2003 Paris World Champs.

Yoandri Betanzos, the Paris runner-up and Budapest bronze medallist, led his countryman in Huelva, which served as an "Olympic trial" for the jumpers.

The 22-year old landed at 17.18, followed by 1996 Atlanta bronze medallist Yoelbi Quesada (17.13) and David Giralt (17.12), also their season bests. Sydney Olympic runner-up Yoel Garcia only jumped 16.59 and was left out of the team.

Both Quesada and Pedroso will become the Cuban athletes with most appearances in Olympic Games. They will attend their fourth summer Games after Barcelona'92, Atlanta'96 and Sydney 2000.

Three other Olympic finalists will be present: Daimi Pernia in the 400-metres hurdles, Zulia Calatayud in the 800m and Luis Felipe Melis in the Long Jump.

Of the 34-member squad (19 men and 15 women), twenty will make their Olympic debut. Their age average is 25 years. Triple jumper David Giralt is the youngest at 19 -will turn 20 on August 26- and Sonia Bisset is the oldest at 33.

Yeimer Lopez and Ana Wiliany López will be the first twin brother and sister to represent in Island in Summer Games. They will celebrate their 22nd birthday on August 28.

Cuban Track and Field Olympic History

This year marks the centennial of the Cuban participation in athletics at the Olympic Games, and the 40th anniversary of the first medal, won by Enrique Figuerola (100m silver in Tokyo'64).

The selection of Mariela Gonzalez and Aguelmis Rojas in the marathon also pays tribute to Felix "el Amdarin" Carvajal, the first Cuban to compete in the athletics tournament in the Olympics. He was fourth in the marathon at the 1904 Saint Louis Games. Gonzalez will be the first Cuban woman to run the Olympic marathon.

Cuba has been represented by 207 athletes in one hundred years and ten Olympic Games. They have totalled 27 medals (7 gold, 10 silver and 10 bronze). Fifty other athletes reached the final.

Alberto Juantorena, member of the IAAF Council, has achieved the most outstanding accomplishment in Cuba's Olympic history when claiming an unprecedented golden double at 400m and 800m in the 1976 Montreal Games.

He also smashed the 800m World record with 1:43.50. Nobody else has ever equalled his performance in World Champs or Olympics.

In Sydney 2000, the Island won six medals (two of each colour). Their best results were obtained in Barcelona'92, where Cuba achieved seven medals (2-1-4).

Javier Clavelo Robinson for the IAAF

Cuban team for Athens

Their events and season bests are specified.
  
Women
100m: Virgen Benavides * (11.26)
200m: Roxana Teresa Díaz * (23.16)
800m: Zulia Inés Calatayud (1:59.24)
Marathon: Mariela González * (2:36:51)
100m H: Anay Tejeda* (12.74)
400m H: Daimí Pernía* (54.84)
TJ: Yusmay Bicet* (14.61)
SP: Yumileidi Cumbá (19.97) and Misleidys González* (18.73)
DT: Yania Ferrales* (62.88)
HT: Yipsi Moreno (75.18), Yunaika Crawford* (71.75) and Aldenay Vasallo* (67.52)
JT: Osleidys Menéndez (68.23), Sonia Bisset (65.93) and Nora Aida Bicet* (63.32)
4x100m: Ana Wiliany López*, Misleidys Lazo*, Dainelky Pérez, Benavides, Diaz

Men
400m: Yeimer López* (45.21)
Marathon: Aguelmis Rojas* (2:14:15)
110m H: Anier Octavio García (13.34), Yoel Hernández (13.36) and Yuniel Hernández* (13.48)
400m H: Yacnier Luis* (48.83)
HJ: Lisvany Arlys Pérez* (2.28)
LJ: Iván Lázaro Pedroso (8.09!), Luis Felipe Melis (8.10!),
TJ: Yoandri Betanzos* (17.18), Yoelbi Luis Quesada (17.13) and David Giralt* (17.12)
DT: Lois Maikel Martínez* (63.38) and Jennifer Frank Casañas (64.20)
JT: Isbel Luaces (81.12)
Note: Athletes making their Olympic debut are marked with an *

Cuban Olympic medallists:

Gold (7)
Alberto Juantorena 400m & 800m in Montreal'76
Maria C. Colon Javelin Moscow'80
Javier Sotomayor High Jump Barcelona'92
Maritza Martén Discus Barcelona'92
Ivan Pedroso Long Jump Sydney 2000
Anier O. García 110-meter Hurdles Sydney 2000

Silver (10)
Enrique Figuerola 100m Tokyo'64
Figuerola, Juan Morales, Hermes Ramirez, Pablo Montes 4x100m Mexico'68
Fulcencia Romay, Violeta Quesada, Miguelina Cobian, Marlene Elejalde 4x100m Mexico'68
Alejandro Casañas 110m Hurdles Montreal'76 and Moscow'80
Silvio Leonard Moscow'80
Roberto Hernandez, Hector Herrera, Norberto Tellez, Lazaro Martinez 4x400m Barcelona'92
And F. Quirot 800m Atlanta'96
Javier Sotomayor High Jump Sydney 2000
Yoel Garcia Triple Jump Sydney 2000

Bronze (10)
Silvia Chivas 100m Munich'72
Fulcencia Romay, Marlene Elejalde, Silvia Chivas, Carmen Valdes 4x100 Munich'72
Luis M. Delis Discus Moscow'80
Roberto Moya Discus Barcelona'92
Andres Simon, Joel Isasi, Joel Lamelas, Jorge L. Aguilera 4x100m  Barcelona'92
Ioamnet Quintero High Jump Barcelona'92
Ana F. Quirot 800m Barcelona'92
Yoelbi Quesada Triple Jump Atlanta'96
Osleidys Menéndez Javelin Sydney 2000
Luis A. Perez, Jose A. Cesar, Ivan Garcia, Freddy Mayola 4x100m Sydney 2000