Cuban javelin thrower Osleidys Menéndez arrives in the U.S. after crossing the Mexican border

June 27, 2022

Cuban javelin thrower Osleidys Menéndez arrived in the United States after crossing the Mexican border.

The Olympic champion from Athens 2004, double world title holder in Edmonton 2001 and Helsinki 2005, would arrive in Florida in the coming hours.

This was confirmed by a source that communicated with Cubanos por el Mundo, who assured that Menéndez undertook the journey from Nicaragua.

Born on November 14, 1979 in Martí Municipality, Matanzas province, Menéndez began javelin throwing at age 12.

Internationally known as "The Ebony Goddess" and "The Antillean Dart," she decided to escape from the Island-prison, as several athletes have done in recent months.

According to the state media CubaSí, javelin thrower Osleidys Menéndez Sáez became the first Spanish-speaking woman to set a world record.

On that occasion, that source recalls, she threw 71.54 meters at an athletic meet held on the Greek island of Crete on July 1, 2005.

She is originally from Batey Valdivieso, one of the 26 localities belonging to the Matanzas municipality of Martí.

One of her last appearances was at the Varadero Half Marathon 2022, in March 2022, where she shared the event with other Olympic champions such as Anier García and Dayron Robles.

As a curious fact, this multi-champion's original name was Olisdeilys, but she was registered with the name Osleidys in the list of participants and that is how it remained.

This is confirmed by the website Athleticspodium.com, where her achievements and some data from her successful sports career are summarized.