Alejandro Casañas Ramírez

Former Cuban athlete, specialist in the 110 meters hurdles, winner of two Olympic silver medals and protagonist alongside Alberto Juantorena of an unprecedented event in Cuban athletics, as both set world records on the same day

He was born in Guanabacoa, Havana, and began practicing athletics in the late 1960s when a search for talent was conducted in that Havana territory, under the tutelage of Heriberto Fernández. He became known in the international arena in 1971, remaining active until 1987, a period in which he also achieved medals in University World Games and Pan American Games. Besides the 110 hurdles, he also formed part of the 4 x 100 meters relay of that era.

His athletic career officially began in 1971 with second place at the Bucharest meet, Romania, held on September 18. In 1972 he traveled to the Olympic Games in Munich, Germany, but an injury kept him out of these Olympic Games. That year he registered a time of 13.84 seconds.

Out of high competition in 1973 due to the aforementioned injury, he returned in 1974 and obtained the gold medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games in the Dominican Republic. During his tour through Europe, he wins the Cuba-Hungary-Czechoslovakia trial, held in Prague, the Turin meet and places second in Siena, both in Italy.

In 1975 he achieved an important victory at the Pan American Games in Mexico, with a time of 13.44 seconds — first non-American athlete to win this specialty — in Europe, he added two victories in Poland, the Kusocinski memorial in Warsaw and the Bydgoszcz meet, as well as the Golden Spike in Ostrava, Czechoslovakia.

In 1976, he participated in the Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada, the pinnacle event of sports in Cuba that year, where he put on an excellent performance in the elimination rounds. In the final he lost to Frenchman Guy Drut by only three hundredths of a second, 13.30 for the Frenchman versus 13.33 for the Cuban, silver medal. Other important results include victories at the Formia meet in Italy and the PTS in Bratislava, in former Czechoslovakia.

Sofia, the Bulgarian capital, hosted the World University Games in 1977. Cuban athletics attended with its top athletes. On August 21, an unprecedented event occurred in sports, as world records were set in the same competition: Alberto Juantorena, 1:43.44 minutes in 800 meters and Alejandro Casañas, 13.21 seconds in 110 meters hurdles. He also won a silver medal at the first Track and Field World Cup held in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Other competitions where he triumphed in 1977 include the Central American and Caribbean Athletics Championship in Xalapa, the Copa América in Guadalajara, both in Mexico, the Spartakiads of Friendly Armies in Havana, the WG in Helsinki, Finland, the Milan meet in Italy, the Crystal Palace in London, the Olympic Day in Berlin, Germany, the DN Gala in Stockholm, Sweden, and the Rosicky memorial in Prague, Czechoslovakia.

In 1978 he achieved titles at the Central American and Caribbean Games held in Medellín, Colombia, at the athletics event held in Havana during the XI World Festival of Youth and Students. In Europe he triumphed at the Van Damme Memorial in Brussels, Belgium and achieved second place at the Nikaia in Nice, France.

In 1979 his best performance was second place at the Pan American Games held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, when defeated by American Renaldo Nehemiah. At the World Cup in Montreal, Canada, he placed behind Nehemiah and German Thomas Munkelt. The American also beat him in Westwood, United States. The only victory was counted at the Copa América in Quebec, Canada.

The 1980 Moscow Olympic Games were seconds in Casañas's athletic career, he was favored by the absence of American athletes due to the boycott, but the photo finish final gave the victory to German Thomas Munkelt, 13.39 versus 13.40 seconds for the Cuban, his second Olympic silver medal. That year he triumphed at the PTS in Bratislava and the Golden Spike in Ostrava, both in Czechoslovakia, at the Turin meet in Italy and the Kusocinski memorial in Warsaw, Poland.

In 1981 he placed second at the World Cup in Rome, Italy, first at the Central American and Caribbean Championship in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and the Copa América in Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela. On the European circuit, he triumphed in Fuenlabrada, Spain, placed second in Pisa and Rieti, both in Italy, and fifth at the Nikaia in France.

In 1982 he won his third consecutive title at Central American and Caribbean Games, winning the edition held in the Cuban capital. The European tour brought him victories in London and Luxembourg, with second-place finishes in Koblenz, Stuttgart and third place in Cologne, all German cities.

In 1983 he achieved his third Pan American Games medal, silver at the Caracas, Venezuela event. He attended the first World Championship in Helsinki, Finland, competed in the elimination round but withdrew from the semifinals due to discomfort. He won the Central American and Caribbean Championship in Havana and the pre-Olympic in Los Angeles, United States.

Cuba and most countries of the then Socialist Bloc did not attend the 1980 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Instead, they celebrated the Friendship Games. Men's athletics was held in Moscow. Casañas advanced to the final and withdrew when he lost the rhythm of the hurdle race. In other European competitions, he triumphed in Madrid, Spain, in Fürth, Germany and in Brest, France.

The year 1985 represents the last in the chronology of successes for hurdler Alejandro Casañas, with victory at the Central American and Caribbean Championship held in Nassau, Bahamas. He did not compete in 1986 and reappeared the following year to win his tenth title at the traditional Barrientos memorial. Despite still being the best Cuban exponent of the specialty, he was not called to the Pan American Games in Indianapolis, United States.

Retirement

Occurred in 1987.

Personal Records
100 meters flat 10.56 Saint Denis, June 2, 1984
200 meters flat 20.81 Potsdam, June 13, 1974
110 hurdles 13.21 Sofia, August 21, 1977
400 hurdles 56.8 Cienfuegos, October 13, 1971

Progression by Year in 110 Meters Hurdles
1970 14.6 Cienfuegos, October 17
1971 14.17 Cali, August 4
1972 13.84 Warsaw, June 28
1974 13.64 Prague, June 28
1975 13.44 Mexico City, October 17
1976 13.33 Montreal, July 28
1977 13.21 Sofia, August 21
1978 13.55 Nice, August 20
1979 13.23 Westwood, May 6
1980 13.40 Moscow, July 27
1981 13.36 Rome, September 6
1982 13.36 Koblenz, August 25
1983 13.51 Caracas, August 28
1984 13.53 Havana, May 19
1985 13.64 Havana, March 3
1987 13.54 Havana, March 14

Currently Casañas lives in Colombia

Casañas does not maintain relations with Cuban athletics directors, but remains active in other capacities.

"Some Cuban leaders have no direct link with sports in the competitive aspect," Casañas notes. "I reside in Colombia where I started a family and dedicate myself to coaching young people in the city where I live, Barrancabermeja."

Now, he has two dreams and comments about them.
"I would like my people to remember me as the first Cuban Olympic medalist and world record holder in hurdles and I would like to be in the Hall of Fame of Central American and Caribbean Athletics."

That temple was inaugurated in 2003, but the country for which each athlete competed is the one that should propose the names, and after four ceremonies the Havana native has been forgotten by Cuba.

"I hope that one day justice will be done and my name can be alongside other legends of athletics," Casañas assures.