CAMAGÜEY.-The Cuban delegation participating in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games starting this Tuesday 24. All, except the shooter Yenigladys Suárez, are already on the ground Tokyo, going through the sanitary protocol and acclimatizing after completing his preparation in the United Arab Emirates and Spain.
Among them is the javelin player Guillermo Varona, the only representative of Camagüey who finally made the grade, who will seek to get on the awards podium for the first time in summer events. Varona, a competitor in the F-46 category (affected by an upper limb), bets to surprise like a couple of years ago at the Pan American Games in Lima 2019, when he broke his personal best four times and hung the golden metal with a continental record of 61.63 meters .
In 2021 his best official record is a 57.77 meters (m), enough to be crowned in the Tunis Grand Prix and anchor in fifth place on the world list of the year, but ours is in a position to exceed 60, something necessary to aspire to medals. In Rio 2016, the Indian Devendra Jhajharia set the current world record (63.97 m) to win the event ahead of the Chinese Guo Chunglian (59.93 m) and Dinesh Priyantha Herath, from Sri Lanka (58.38 m).
Herath, a Sri Lankan war hero who suffered damage to his left arm from gunshot wounds during the 2008 civil war, is his main favorite, as he has thrown more than 62 m in his last training sessions. However, the world ranking of the season is led by the Japanese Takuya Shiramasa with 60.63 meters, a reflection that in the rigor of official events the nerves lower the marks.
This detail is encouraging for Guillermo, used to overcoming himself in crucial moments.
The key for Cuba to finish in the top 20 of the overall medal table is once again the effectiveness of its few registered athletes. Although in London 2012 (15th place with nine golds, five silvers and three bonces) and Rio 2016 (18th place, with 8-1-6 and only 22 participants) the forecast was achieved, now it will be more complicated.
The possibilities of ascending to the throne under the five rings fall to the current holders Omara Durand, Leonardo Díaz, Leinier Savón and Lorenzo Pérez, of paraathletics, and the judo player Yordani Fernández.
In addition to the Camagüey, his partner at the throwing of the dart Ulicer Aguilera (F-12), the shooter Suárez and the weightlifter Leidy Rodríguez can climb to the honor roll. The rest of the Creole delegation will seek to be included in the finals of their respective tests.
The history of our country in Paralympics is full of surprising performances, successes and maximum dedication, that is why we hope that in this, the 16th edition, great emotions will return. For us, the action will begin on the 26th, with paracycling, paraweights and table paratennis.
Translated by Linet Acuña Quilez