the Cuban Omara Durand won his first title this Thursday in the Para-athletics Grand Prix of Xalapa, Mexicoby winning the 200-meter test with his best time of the season for that distance.
The multi-time Paralympic champion in the T12 category (deeply visually impaired) recorded 23.90 seconds and gave those present at the Heriberto Jara Corona stadium their first time under 24 seconds so far this year, according to a report from the sports portal Hit.
Omara Durand ? Winning Races#ParaAthletics | @paralympics
? – @COP ME
— #ParaAthletics (@ParaAthletics) April 27, 2023
Accompanied by her guide Yuniol Kindelán, the woman from Santiago had run the preliminary segment in 24.31 seconds, and in the race she was followed on the podium by the Dominicans Darlenys de la Cruz (25.03) and Manuela Jacinto (27.51), in that order.
It is the third time that the Cuban has dominated this test in the circuit of the current season, since before she won the stops in Dubai (24.96) and Marrakech (24.17), the publication specifies.
Omara took the year 2022 to recharge her energies and enjoy her family a little more. She then began paving the way for the 2024 Paris Paralympics, billed as her last competitive foray.
During the opening day of the contest, Cuba also had representation on the field through the throwers Yorisan Monterrey (disc-F43) and Gerdan Fonseca (javelin-F57).
Yorisan won a silver medal, after scoring 39.40 meters, only surpassed by the 48.39 of Colombian Nelson Blandon. The host José Luis Estrada got 38.66 meters to take over the bronzed metal.
Gerdan sent the javelin up to 39.70 meters from his first attempt and that secured him a place on the podium, behind champion Edgar Barajas (42.35) and his escort Luis Alberto Gomeztagle (41.87), both Mexicans.
Meanwhile, Felipa Hechavarría climbed to third place on the podium in the long jump, category T46, with a record of 5.23 meters. The gold went to the Ecuadorian Kiara Rodríguez (5.88) and the silver to the American Taleah Williams (5.43).
This Friday the focus will once again be on Omara, who will be in the 400m preliminaries. For the night she is reserved the incursion of her in the direct final of the 100 meters.
This will be his debut in the hectometre during the current campaign and will serve to clear the path towards new reigns at the 2023 World Paraathletics Championships in Paris, set for next July, and at the 2023 Santiago Parapan American Games in November.
