Three Gold Medals for Omara Durand at World Para-Athletics Championship

July 19, 2023

Outstanding Cuban sprinter Omara Durand today completed her golden triple at the World Para-Athletics Championship, held in Paris, France, where she won the final of the 200 meters (m), T12 category (severe visual impairment).

Durand, world record holder in the 100, 200 and 400 m, and winner of eight gold medals at the Paralympic Games, together with her guide Yuniol Kindelán triumphed in the 200 meters with a time of 23.07 seconds (s), her best mark of the current season.

With that time she came within just four hundredths of the championship record and five hundredths of the world record, both of which are in her name.

That performance allowed the queen of speed to capture her third gold medal at that event, increasing her total medal count at these competitions to 14.

Behind the world-class Cuban para-athlete came to the finish line German Katrin Mueller-Rottgardt (25.22 s) and Venezuelan Alejandra Pérez (25.42 s), as holders of the silver and bronze medals, respectively, according to the official championship website.

With that result, the Cuban delegation added its fourth gold at the World Para-Athletics Championship, in which a bronze medal also appears in the harvest.

This Saturday, at Charléty stadium, Durand prevailed in the 100 m final with a time of 11.62 s, which is her fastest time of the year.

Previously, last Thursday she achieved gold in the 400 m by stopping the clock at 52.82 s, her best mark in 2023.

In other important performances by Cubans, Robiel Yankiel Sol Cervantes earned the first gold medal for the Caribbean nation, with a championship record of 7.63 m.

Sol Cervantes lived up to the expectations that had him as the top contender for the title in the long jump in the T47 category (upper limb impairment), and once again demonstrated his excellent performance in 2023.

Furthermore, in the recent Saturday competition Ulicer Aguilera took bronze in javelin throw, F13 category, with 59.79 m.

With those performances, Omara, Robiel and Ulicer secured their spots for the Paralympic Games to be held in the same city of Paris in 2024.