RHC Olympics Update no.9 - 24 Sept 2000 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - Olympics Update no.9 - 24 September 2000 . SOTOMAYOR RETURNS TO STARDOM WINNING SILVER IN MEN'S HIGH JUMP IN SYDNEY Sydney, September 24(RHC)-- Proving a strong will, Cuban high jumper Javier Sotomayor has returned to stardom winning silver in Sydney. Under a persistent rain, Sotomayor overcame all obstacles to prove his world class and give his people and fans the silver medal at the Sydney Olympic Games. Right after the competition he told the press: " This represents something great for me. First of all, to be here is very important and then this medal is of paramount importance for me. I would have liked to win the gold medal. I was feeling great from all points of views and had good concentration. Maybe I did not take advantage of the first jump over the 2.35 meter mark, and then the weather dramatically changed. I'm probably the worst jumper under rainy conditions. But I think that most people are happy with this result. For me, this silver medal is a great satisfaction after a year so adversed to me. I dedicate this medal specially to my children and to all who have supported me and believed in me." He went on to say that he is not saying goodbye to active sports. He will remain active for a year or so and his aspiration is to continue jumpting to win more medals. Javier sotomayor, the current world record holder, concluded in Sydney with a 2.32 meter jump for the silver medal. Gold went to Russian Sergey Kliugin with 2.35 meters and was the only athlete to reach that mark. Bronze went to Abderrahmane Hammad from Algeria also with 2.32 meters. He has become the first Olympic African medal winner in men's high jump in the history of the Olympic Games. Russia's Vyacheslav Voronin, favorite in this discipline and who had the best jump of the season with 2.40 meters, was unable to cross over the 2.32 meters and finished in place 10. ARGENTINA MAKES ITS WAY INTO THE GENERAL MEDAL STANDING Sydney, September 24th (RHC)-- Argentina made its way into the general medal standing with silver in sailing with Carlos Espinola. Argentina is now is place number 45 with this silver medal. This medal along with the silver won by Cuban high jumper Javier Sotomayor and gold for Japanese Naoko Takahashi in women's marathon were the most important news of day nine of competitions in Sydney. Takahashi has become the first Japanese woman ever to win gold in Olympic Track and Field competitions in the history of the games. She also set a new Olympic record of 2 hours and 23.14 minutes. Romanian Lidia Simon and Kenian Joyce Chempchumba were second and third. In other track and field results, Australian aborigine got an easy classification for women's 400 meter finals, where Mexican Ana Guevara also got her ticket. After concluding the competition, Guevara said that despite the rain she felt fine and made her way into the finals. She escorted Freeman and her time was 50.11 seconds. I have taken the first step, said Guevara, tomorrow I'm going to give my best. In women's heptathlon, British Denise Lewis got gold with a total of 6,584 points followed by Russia and Belaruss. This way the British athlete confirms her quality. She got bronze in Atlanta and silver at the 1999 Seville World Track and Field Championship. BRONZE SLIPPED FROM CUBAN YAMILET ALDAMA'S HANDS IN WOMEN'S TRIPLE JUMP Sydney, September 24(RHC)-- Gold in women's triple jump competitions went to Tereza Marinova from Bulgaria in her first and only valid attempt. She got the Olympic title with a 15.20 meter jump and was escorted by Tatyana Lebedeva of Russia with 15 meter sharp and Olena Hovorova from Ucrania with 14.96. Cuba had one competitor in this discipline. Yamilet Aldama landed in place four and was pretty close from the bronze medal with 14.30. However, her best mark is 14.77. Speaking to RHC's reporter Nelson Acosta she said: "I'm not satisfied, though I have to admit I'm a little bit happy. On Tuesday I had suffered a light ankle sprain and that took its toll on me. It hindered me from running faster and therefore my results were affected. It's a fourth place, it's not the best; but I dedicate this result to my family, my people and everyone who has supported me." CUBA'S ANIER GARCIA GETS HIS INCLUSSION IN MEN'S 110 METER HURDLES Sydney, September 24(RHC)-- Cuba's hurdle runner Anier Garcia had an outstanding performance Sunday in men's 110 meter hurdles getting his inclusion in semifinals, set for tonight, Cuba time. Meanwhile, long jumper Ivan Pedroso is making his debut today along triple jumpers Yoelbis Quesada and Yoel Garcia in men's finals. WRAPPING UP CUBA'S PERFORMANCE Sydney, September 24(RHC)-- Wrapping up Cuban athletes' performance, in baseball, Cuba defeated Japan 6-2 in preliminaries and they will be once again face to face in semifinals on Tuesday. In boxing, Diogenes Luna and Manuel Mantilla outclassed their rivals but Cuba lost one man: Isael Alvarez in 81. Alvarez, though sending his opponent Olzhas Orazaliyev to the canvas suffered the setback after Australian referee John Wayne Rose decided to stop the bout for the Cuban had a wound in his face. Alvarez did not agree with that decision so as did the public. According to press reports coming from Sydney, once again judges and refrees are the center of the attention. The victims of their decisions are non-European boxers. Cuba, the United States and Argentina suffered the consequences. The most evident case was that of Argentinian Omar Narvaez who fought as good as his Ucranian opponent Vladimir Sidorenko, or even better, but lost by points. Speaking to the press, Narvaez said that it is a shame that at Olympic competitions things like this take place. He went on to say that athletes have a very rough way to reach the Olympics to finally loose this unfair way. Meanwhile, the Internaitonal Amateur Boxing Association had revealed two judges were "counselled" over scoring. (c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. Todos los derechos reservados. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= rhc-eng-7670 2000-Sep-25 00:10:15