Silinda Morales: Bronze and Cuban Lineage in World Discus

September 15, 2025

If there is something with little debate in Cuban track and field, it is that the discus throwers of the Island have an extraordinary gift for surprising. In their time there were Hilda Elisa and Maritza, then Yarelis, Denia, Yaimé.

Now, true to tradition, it fell to Silinda Morales to climb a world podium when few really expected it. Because in the midst of a campaign of very long throws and facing women with more favorite status, the Caribbean athlete showed her lineage and is planetary bronze.

For this the Cuban resorted to the remedy of the greats and improved her personal record by almost a meter and a half. In the supreme competition, at the opportune moment. To the universal meeting of Tokyo 2025 she arrived with a maximum throw of 65.80 m, but left with a mark of 67.25 m.

Ahead of Silinda finished two favorites like American Valarie Allman (69.48 m), finally a world champion after winning practically everything, and the Netherlands representative, Jorinde van Klinken (67.50 m), finally a medalist in a major tournament after several years with great throws but always at the threshold of the podium when it mattered.

Silinda's medal has even more merit because it came in an extremely strong year for women's discus, and especially in a competition where the top eight exceeded the 65-meter barrier, something unprecedented in world championships.

For Cuba, it represents the eighth medal in women's discus at world championships, a event that now expands its history with two golds, three silvers and an equal number of bronze medals. There is no other nation on the planet with more medals in this event than the Greater Antilles.

For his part, in the morning session hurdler Greisys Roble secured her place in the semifinal of the 100 meters hurdles thanks to a good time of 12.84 s, third in her heat. In a competitive series, ahead of the Cuban entered the Netherlands representative, Nadine Visser (12.48 s), and Italian Giada Carmassi (12.83 s), while another favorite like Jamaican Megan Tapper did not compete.

Except for her, all other strong podium contenders completed this first round without major setbacks. Thus, Jamaican Danielle Williams (12.40 s), American Olympic champion Masai Rusell (12.53 s) and world record holder, Nigerian Tobi Amusan (12.53 s), will have a presence in the semifinals.

The Cuban's time—owner of a personal best of 12.71 s achieved twice this year—represented the fifteenth fastest among the 24 secured for the next phase, but also guaranteed her first access to semifinals at world championships. For Cuba, in turn, it means returning to that stage after 16 years of absence, following the presence of Anay Tejeda at the Berlin 2009 championship.

Meanwhile, in the 400 meters flat Roxana Gómez fulfilled expectations and with a year's best time of 50.35 s also secured a spot in the semifinals. In her heat she was among the favorites to advance among the top three who secured direct spots, something that the Jamaican Nickisha Pryce (49.91 s) and Norwegian Henriette Jaeger (50.12 s) emulated, the other two strong contenders to take the top positions.