World Champion to Headline Closing of Cuba Athletics Cup

World champion Leyanis Pérez will be among the primary attractions today during the final session of the Cuba Athletics Cup, hosted at the Pan American Stadium, which has already yielded several notable marks since its commencement.

Pérez will not participate in her signature event, the triple jump; instead, she will compete exclusively in the long jump as part of her training cycle for a season focused on achieving excellence at the “Santo Domingo 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games.”

This upcoming regional event is a focal point for many athletes currently attending the Island's national championship. Among them is Greysis Robles from Mayabeque, who secured victory in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 12.75 seconds. Her performance fell just four-hundredths of a second shy of her personal best (12.71) and “confirms her status as a top podium contender for this summer’s competition.” Following her across the finish line were Lisyanet Ruiz from Guantánamo (12.99) and the youth athlete from Havana, Niuvis Álvarez (14.13), according to statistics provided by Alfredo Sánchez.

Another athlete showing improved form during the opening day was discus thrower Mario Díaz. His mark of 63.65 meters restored confidence following a modest season debut of 58.73 meters at the Shanghai Diamond League. His series on this occasion also included throws of 62.71 and 61.04 meters.

National titles were also claimed by pole vaulter Liván Torres, who achieved a personal best of 5.31 meters; sprinter Reynaldo Espinosa, who clocked 10.13 seconds in the 100-meter dash; and youth runner Yohendris Bientz, who finished the 400 meters in 46.69 seconds.

In the 10,000-meter run, Francisco Ronnei Estévez stood out by clinching victory with a personal record of 29:49.3 minutes, surpassing his previous best of 29:54.5 established at the same venue last February.

In the men’s triple jump, Andy Hechevarría led the field once again, though with a modest leap of 16.77 meters. However, the accolades in this event were directed toward youth athlete Gian Carlos Baxter, who consistently improves his personal records. The 18-year-old from Camagüey registered 16.61 meters, adding 10 centimeters to a mark set last February that “had already placed him at the top of the world junior rankings.”

The national classic concludes this Friday with the completion of the decathlon—currently led by Josmi Sánchez with 3,958 points—alongside the shot put in both categories, the men’s long jump, and the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relays, among other events.