Cuba has increased its tally of athletes qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics to 41, following exceptional performances by sprinters Shainer Reginfo and Reinaldo Espinosa at the Ciudad de Salamanca Athletics Trophy 2024 in Spain.
Reginfo and Espinosa secured a one-two finish in the 100-meter dash, clocking times of 9.90 and 9.96 seconds, respectively. These times shattered the previous national record of 9.98 seconds, held by the legendary Silvio Leonard (1977), a silver medalist in Moscow 1980, and Roberto Skyers (2019), the Pan American champion in the 200 meters at Toronto 2015.
Both runners surpassed the minimum qualifying mark of 10.00 seconds set by World Athletics and now rank among the top in the world for the current season, a highly positive development.
The new record holder, Reginfo, celebrated the achievement on Facebook: "Thank you all for the beautiful messages. My summer tour isn't over yet. I aim to be in even better shape for Paris. This is a huge step in my life; now I just need to maintain and improve."
Cuba continues to add more athletes to its roster for the Games in France. Recently, 800-meter runner Rose Mary Almanza, table tennis player Moisés Campos, and boxer Erislandy Álvarez also achieved their qualification goals.
With the highly decorated wrestler Mijaín López as its flag-bearer, Cuba aims to win five gold medals at Paris 2024, which will take place from July 26 to August 11, and finish among the top 25 nations in the final standings.
In a press conference held at the Coliseo de la Ciudad Deportiva in Havana, José Antonio Miranda, Director of High Performance at the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation, stated, "We have conducted our analyses and are confident that these goals are achievable."
Miranda mentioned that "the greatest responsibility for winning medals rests on 19 athletes," including Olympic champions such as the aforementioned López and his counterpart Luis Orta, boxers Julio César La Cruz and Arlen López, and judoka Idalys Ortiz, not to mention the caliber of shooter Leuris Pupo.
Three years ago, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Cuba finished 14th in the medal standings, securing seven gold medals, three silver, and five bronze.
Key Information on Cuba's Olympic Aspirations
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers regarding Cuba's preparations and goals for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
How many athletes has Cuba qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics?
As of now, Cuba has qualified 41 athletes for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Who broke the national record in the 100-meter dash?
Shainer Reginfo broke the national record in the 100-meter dash with a time of 9.90 seconds.
What are Cuba's medal expectations for the Paris 2024 Olympics?
Cuba aims to win five gold medals and finish among the top 25 nations in the final standings at Paris 2024.