# Omara Durand Receives Honorary Doctorate in Sports Science

**Date:** 06/15/2026

Cuban Paralympic champion Omara Durand Elías was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Sports Science on June 14, 2026, at the Theater of the University of Oriente in Santiago de Cuba, in recognition of her extraordinary athletic career and her commitment to the inclusion of people with disabilities.


Visibly moved during the ceremony, Durand expressed gratitude to all the coaches who contributed to her development as an athlete. "Receiving this academic honor today strengthens my commitment to the disabled community within the national and international Paralympic movement," she stated, according to the Cuban News Agency (ACN).


The Santiago-born athlete, who currently serves as president of the Cuban Paralympic Committee, emphasized sports as "a powerful educational tool" for promoting the social inclusion of people with disabilities. In a heartfelt tribute to her hometown, she added: "To my Santiago de Cuba, thank you for watching me grow and always welcoming me with open arms."


University of Oriente rector Diana Sedal presided over the ceremony and highlighted the institution's tradition of more than 55 years of sports and comprehensive education through the "Mambises" Interfaculty Games. "She is an athlete who wins medals and also wins the hearts of her people," Sedal said of Durand.


The ceremony celebrated Durand's remarkable record: 11 gold medals at the Paralympic Games, 14 at the World Para Athletics Championships, and 12 at the Parapan American Games. She was named Cuba's best athlete in disabled sports in 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2023, and ranked among the International Paralympic Committee's top 50 sports moments of 2015.


Born on November 26, 1991, in Santiago de Cuba, Durand competes in the T12 classification for athletes with severe visual impairments. After claiming her tenth and eleventh Paralympic titles at the Paris 2024 Games, she announced her retirement from active competition. In 2024, President Miguel Díaz-Canel awarded her the Honorary Title of Hero of Labor of the Republic of Cuba.