RHC Olympic Update no.10 - 25 Sept 2000 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - Olympics Update no.10 - 25 September 2000 CUBA DETHRONES FAVORITES AND SEIZES GOLD IN MEN'S 110 METER HURDLES Sydney, September 25(RHC)-- Cuban hurdle runner Anier Garcia gave the island another gold medal today, the 5th Cuban athlete to become Olympic Champion in track and field in the Games' history. With 13 seconds sharp, Garcia crossed first the finishing line in men's 110 meter hurdles giving Cuba its 4th gold medal in Sydney. The 24 year old Cuban athlete defeated Terrence Trammel, with 13.16 seconds, and Mark Crear, 13.22, both from the U.S.A. Anier Garcia produced a near-flawless run to upstage his more experienced rivals and give his wife a great wedding anniversary gift Monday. His time of 13.00 seconds was a personal best and a Cuban record. Garcia who won the Paris Indoors World Championship in 1997 and was second in Seville, 1999. He is the first Cuban Olympic champ in men's hurdle since his fellow countryman Alejandro Casanas, former world record holder, was second in Montreal 1976 and in Moscow 1980. Garcia's gold medal is the first track and field title Cuba wins in the last 8 years. In Barcelona, the two Cubans that got gold were high jumper Javier Sotomayor and Maritza Marten in women's discus throw. These are Anier Garcia's second Olympic Games. He was born in Eastern Santiago de Cuba province, March 9th, 1976. Although Garcia had won all three of his qualifying races and had the fastest semifinal time, world record holder Colin Jackson and former world champion Allen Johnson were the race's favorites. But while the big names crashed into the early barriers, the 24-year-old moved beautifully over his. British Collin Jackson, world champ and record holder with 12.91 Seconds, along with Allen Johnson from the United States, gold in Altanta, ended up medal-less. The Cuban hurdle runner was only one hundredths away from becoming the 6th human to run the 110 meter hurdles in less than 13 seconds. Anier Garcia, who has entered the books of giants, kept his cool and his technique to stretch his lead and crossed the line almost two meters clear, a huge gap in an event usually decided by hundredths of a second. Right after the competition, Garcia said: "I felt fine during the race despite the tension and presure. I knew I had to make an excellent start for the race, since that is my weakest point...That was probably the best start in my career, but starting with the rest of competitors and then putting that extra at the end I was sure of winning the race. I'm happy to have achieved the first gold for the island in track and field. Sotomayor broke the ice with his silver medal and I think we are going to harvest more medals in track and field. We are doing great in track and field. I've been training very hard for this competition for nearly a year, and I've been thinking about this day a lot. Allen Johnson had the best mark of the season, I had the second best. He is an excellent runner. Regarding spectators they are fine. They fill the stadium to the rim and give their support to atheltes." MEN'S TRIPLE JUMP PROVIDES SILVER FOR THE ISLAND Sydney, September 25(RHC)-- With two competitors in the finals, Cuba managed to harvest the second medal of the day in track and field. Though men's triple jump competitions were dominated by world champ Jonathan Edwards from Great Britiain, with 17.71 meters, Cuba proved That it's in the elite with this silver medal. Yoel Garcia, with 17.47 Meters, won the subtitle in men's triple jump in Sydney, while the other Cubanm Yoelbi Quesada, finished only 9 centimeters behind bronze medallist Denis Kapustin from Russia. MEN'S LONG JUMP COMPETITIONS IN SYDNEY HAVE FLAVOR OF CUBA Sydney, September 25(RHC)-- Men's long jump competitions had surprises and the flavor of Cuba with the classification of two Cuban athletes for the finals: world champ Ivan Pedroso and newcomer Luis Meliz. Pedroso, who had won three world outdoor titles and one at indoor championships, started with a 7.70 meter mark, then 7.99 to finally fly up to 8.32 meters and therefore his ticket for the finals. He probably got inspiration from his fellow countryman Luis Meliz, who jumped 8.21 before him. These were the best results of the competiton in which 46 athletes took part. Pedroso's head coach, Milan Matos, has confidence in his results. "We hope to reach the finals in pretty good shape and win the only title that is missing from Pedroso's records." And according to Pedroso himself: "I feel fine and I'm ready to give my best here in Sydney." The elimination of Jamaican James Beckford and Spaniard Yago Lamela took many by surprise. Beckford has been one of Pedroso's eternal rivals, while Lamelas is not only the world silver medal winner, but was among the candidates to clash with Pedroso for the gold. The list of men that jumped over 8 meters includes Dwight Phillips from the United States, 8.13, Carlos Calado of Portugal with 8.04, Australians Jai Taurima and Peter Burge with 8.09 and 8.06 respectively. But as Pedroso has put it, every day is a different competition. Today is rest day for Pedroso and men's long jump finals will kick off on the 27th. CUBA AND JAMAICA PRESENT IN WOMEN'S 400 METER HURDLES Sydney, September 25(RHC)-- Two important Caribbean runners will be on hand for women's 400 meter hurdles. Cuba's Daimi Pernia, current world champ and Jamaica's Deon Hemmings, Olympic champ, had no problem to advance in preliminaries and become finallists. However, they will have a very strong rival in Russian Irina Privalova who made an exhibition of quality and technique in her qualifying heat. Privalova, former sprinter with with two Olympic medals, has become hurdle runner with impressive results so far. She had the best time for semifinals, followed by Nezha Biduane from Morocco. Sandra Glover from the U.S.A., and owner of the best time of the season with 53.33 seconds, was eliminated. The finals are set for tomorrow and Cuba has high hopes for a medal of any color in this event. GLADIATORS RIVAS AND MAREN WILL BE FIGHTING FOR THE GOLD Sydney, September 25(RHC)-- Cuba's Lazaro Rivas in 54 and Juan Luis Maren in 63 kilos are two possible gold medal winners for the island in greco-roman wrestling. Rivas, world champ and best athlete of the year according to the International Federation, will have a South Korean athlete as rival tomorrow. For his part, Maren will be facing a Russian athlete. 1992 silver medal winner Hector Milian in 130 kilo division will be in quarterfinals after defeating by points a Chinese opponent, finihsing first in his qualifying group. Two other Cuban gladiators, Luis Mendez in 85 and Filiberto Azcui in 69 concluded a first preliminary round successfully. CUBA FALLS ONCE AGAIN IN MEN'S VOLLEYBALL Sydney, September 25(RHC)-- The defeat suffered by the Cuban men's volleyball team at the hands of its arch rival Brazil, three sets to nothing, gave the South American team the ticket for quarterfinals. It was a very tough game as results indicate, except for the last set, when the Cubans collapsed: 28-26; 30-28 and 25-18. Cuba made a lot of mistakes in the third set and now has a balance of three victories, two defeats, 9 sets in favor and 9 against, landing in place number three of its group behind Brazil, undefeated and Holland with a 4-1 balance. The powerful Russian team will be the island's next opponent. Holland was the 1996 Atlanta winner. Brazil won in Barcelona in 1992 and Cuba got bronze in Montreal, 1976. Meanwhile, in women's, Cuba will clash against Croatia next. But no one dares to make predictions for the women's teams in quarterfinals. Brazil faces Germany, South Korea takes on the United States and Russia, China. CUBA REACHES THE BOXING QUARTER FINALS WITH 10 MEN ALIVE Sydney, September 25(RHC)-- The first boxing medal winners will be announced tomorrow, after the 24 bouts set for day one of quarterfinals. Five Cubans and a Mexican boxer will be representing Latin America, where all eyes will be on Cuba's Felix Savon as he faces Michael Brennet from the States. Bennet is the 1999 World Champion and Savon is the only boxer who could win a third consecutive belt. Cuba has reached quarterfinals with 10 men alive while its powerful rival, the U.S., lost five on the road. Russia, the other country with a complete boxing team in Australia, keeps 8. So far a total of 214 bouts have been held and only 80 boxers keep their Olympic aspirations alive. Without taking into account the Cuban boxers, only two Latin American fighters reached this stage of the competition; one from Mexico and the other from Argentina. Omar Narvaez, the other possible medal winner for the South American country was stripped of his victory against a European boxer. In the history of Olympic boxing, present in 20 Games, the United States has been the country that has won the largest number of medals with 47. However, Cuba which is very proud of its amateur athletes, has been on hand in only 8 games, starting in Rome in 1960. From that date on, Cuba has won 23 titles, with boxing the sport that contributes with the largest number of medals to the delegation. Cuba has also been on top of this sport since its first presentation in Rome and Barcelona saw its best performance with 7 gold and two silver medals. The former Soviet Union and Italy accumulate 14 followed by Great Britain with 12. (c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. 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