The long jumper Maykel Massó and the triple jumper Lazaro Martinez will represent the Cuban Athletics Federation (FCA) in the final of the diamond league corresponding to 2022, which will be held this Wednesday and Thursday at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich, Swissaccording to official media on the island.
The two Cubans will be active on the second day of the program, with the aspiration of being victorious in their respective tests and conquering the coveted gem according to a report of the Cuban News Agency (ACN).
IT’S THE FIRST OF TWO #DIAMONDLEAGUE FINAL DAYS! ?#ZurichDL ??
– Wanda Diamond League (@Diamond_League) September 7, 2022
The triple jumper Martínez, since last March monarch of the world indoors in Belgrade, Serbia, managed to be included among the top three in two of the stops made. He first got it on August 26 in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he finished second with 17.50 meters; meanwhile, on September 2 he conquered the crown in Brussels, Belgium, with 17.49 meters, adds the publication.
This specialty for men will have a great Cuban role, since in addition to Lázaro, three other athletes born on the island earned the right to opt for the award, although none of them represent the federation of the Caribbean country.
Among them is Peter Paul Pichardowho won the Olympic title in the Japanese capital defending the colors of Portugal, and finished sixth in the classification of the circuit, which was led by Andy Díaz, since this year based in Spain.
The youngster Jordan Díaz also assured his presence in the final, who broke ties with Cuban sports prior to Tokyo 2020 to remain in Spain, where he received nationalization and has had great results in the current season.
The information points out that the Cuban Massó, bronze medalist in the fight under the five rings of Tokyo 2020, was third in the phase held last June in Rabat, Morocco, with a mark of 8.08 meters, and repeated the position on August 6 in Silesia, Poland, with a jump of 8.09 meters. Four days later, the man from Santiago won the title in the Principality of Monaco with his best record of the season, 8.35m according to data from the official website of the contest.
The Cuban presence is completed by Alexi Copello, who has been representing Turkey for some time and will be opting for the prize in the 400-meter hurdles specialty.
The closure of the athletic circuit, which had 12 previous stops, will ensure its winners the presence in the King Sport World Championship based in Budapest in 2023, an appointment in which they could achieve the ticket to the Olympic Games of Paris 2024, refers the medium.
According to the regulations, the six greatest accumulators of points in each specialty of the field and the eight of the track will now opt for the maximum prize, although all will start on equal terms in the final, so the diamond will go to the winners in Zurich .
In the Zurich finals, only 14 athletes will be able to defend their reigns from the previous edition, and the absences of the sprinters Fred Kerley, from the United States, and the Jamaican Elaine Thompson-Herah, owner of several Olympic gold medals, stand out.