Hispano-Cuban athlete Yulenmis Aguilar, who has been residing in A Coruña, Galicia, for the past four years, has secured her spot in the javelin throw final at the Paris Olympics, set to take place this coming Saturday.
Aguilar achieved the best mark outside of the direct qualification, set at 62 meters, with an initial throw of 61.95 meters. This was enough to earn her the ninth-best reference and advance to the final, happening at 7:30 p.m. local time. In the qualifiers, held at the Stade de France, Aguilar competed in Group B. Group A saw only three throwers surpass the 62-meter mark necessary for a guaranteed spot in the final.
Aguilar started her series alongside competitors like Japanese thrower Kitaguchi and Polish thrower Andrejczyk, who met the requirement on their first attempts. Yulenmis, the ninth to throw, narrowly missed joining them with her 61.95-meter throw, the best among those who didn't secure a direct pass. This initial performance placed her in a strong position, only surpassed by Colombian Flor Ruiz in the first round. In the second round, Aguilar couldn't improve her initial mark, recording a throw of 58.35 meters. Only Croatian thrower Kolak managed to surpass her in that round, securing her place in the final.
Despite this, the Cuban-Spanish thrower remained hopeful of improving her position and getting closer to her season's best of 63.90 meters, achieved in February. However, her last attempt landed at 59.92 meters. Aguilar had to wait patiently while other competitors completed their throws, but none of them managed to surpass her, confirming her place in the final with the best mark outside the direct qualification.
From Expelled Cuban Athlete to Spain's Olympic Hope in Javelin
Yulenmis Aguilar, who was expelled from the Cuban national team almost six years ago, expressed in an interview with the EFE agency in April that Spain opened doors that were closed to her in her homeland.
The 27-year-old from Bayamo, Granma province, stated that she loves Spain as much as she once loved Cuba in her sporting career. "I even love Spain a bit more because it has opened doors for me that were closed in Cuba since I was left out of the national team without any explanation. If they didn't want me to represent them, I have found the love in Spain," she emphasized.
The athlete arrived in Spain at the end of December 2020 with a work visa valid until 2024, but she was granted nationality along the way. Aguilar resides in the municipality of Oleiros, in the province of La Coruña, Galicia, but continues to vacation on the island where her wife and entire family remain.
Yulenmis hasn't represented Cuba in an athletics tournament since the Central American Games in Barranquilla (Colombia) in 2018, where she won bronze. It was then that Cuban authorities removed her from the national team. "They called me and told me they didn't count on me for the next season, so I decided to quit," she once recounted.
In 2021, she competed in eight events, six in Spain and two in Portugal, winning seven of them. In 2022, she surpassed all her previous marks, reaching 64.17 meters at the Spanish Outdoor Championships in Nerja, Málaga. This marked the beginning of her relationship with the Spanish Athletics Federation. The government of Pedro Sánchez granted her nationality in April 2024, allowing her to compete in the Paris Olympics.
Her coach, veteran Raimundo Fernández, has been instrumental in helping her perfect her technique and achieve optimal physical condition after a year without competing due to injuries and depression. Her journey has not been easy, plagued by injuries, particularly in a shoulder that dislocates frequently due to a genetic issue, but she is ready to compete in an Olympic final this coming Saturday.
FAQs About Yulenmis Aguilar and Her Journey to the Olympics
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding Yulenmis Aguilar's career and her participation in the upcoming Olympic javelin final.
How did Yulenmis Aguilar secure her place in the Olympic final?
Yulenmis Aguilar secured her place in the Olympic final by achieving a throw of 61.95 meters, the best mark outside of direct qualification, during the qualifiers at the Stade de France.
Why was Yulenmis Aguilar expelled from the Cuban national team?
Yulenmis Aguilar was expelled from the Cuban national team almost six years ago without any explanation, which led her to find opportunities in Spain.
What has been Yulenmis Aguilar's performance since moving to Spain?
Since moving to Spain, Yulenmis Aguilar has competed in several events, winning seven out of eight competitions in 2021 and surpassing her previous marks in 2022, with a throw of 64.17 meters at the Spanish Outdoor Championships.