The Cuban sprinter Omara Durand debuted this Friday with a victory in the women’s 200-meter event corresponding to the Moulay El Hassan International Para-athletics Meeting in Marrakech, in Moroccohis second competitive foray of the current season.
The multi-time Paralympic champion, who competes in the T12 category (deeply visually impaired) covered the distance in 24.17 seconds, ahead of Brazilian Lorraine Gomes de Aguiar (26.59) and Patricia Heidilene Oliveira Lopes (27.75), from Cape Verde, according to the results published on the official website of the competition.
The time achieved by the Santiago woman improves on the 24.96 seconds that earned her to win the distance in the Grand Prix stage, held a week ago in Dubai, where she also came out on top in the 400 meters with a time of 56.32 seconds.
The runner will return to the slopes of the Moroccan city this Wednesday to compete in the 400-meter distance, with which she will close her forays outside of Cuba for now.
The contest in the United Arab Emirates marked her return to the slopes after being inactive for the past year, forcing her to renew her medical classification.
Omara Durand returns to the slopes at the Dubai Para Athletics Grand Prix
According to statements from her coach, Miriam Ferrer, to the sports portal Hit, part of the preparation strategy for this stage is to “evaluate the possible rivals of the cycle, since we have already seen new girls incorporated into the elite in the year we were away”.
According to the outlet, for Omara this course will have as fundamental moments the World Paraathletics Championships in Paris 2023 and the Parapan American Games that will be held in Santiago de Chile at the end of the year.
The first of these challenges will be held from July 8 to 27, and there the Cuban must secure her ticket to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
The continental event will take place from November 17 to 26 and appears as a good opportunity to evaluate the evolution in a momentous year for its future.
