CAMAGÜEY.- With Juan Miguel Echevarría things will never be normal, and life has just shown us this week. The rules of the planet do not seem made for him, which is why we very much refuse to believe that they have displaced him from the top of the long jump podium at the Tokyo Olympics without even surpassing him. Being a silver medalist in his first foray under the five rings shouldn't be a cause for discouragement, but he understands it was his time.

 “When I reached 8.50 meters in the first jump of qualifying I felt very strong. The preparation strategy had paid off, as we had the best of the season in the core competition. And to top it all, my main rivals were not at their best ”, he commented to Adelante.

 In the final the conditions changed from foul on his first opportunity, as he forced him to secure in the second to achieve a record that would give him the three extra jumps. “Trying to step safely, I lost my coordination a bit in the race, which up to that point had been very good. That's where the problems and annoyances began ”.

 However, the 8.09 meters that he reached allowed him to continue in the competition and two attempts later the best measurement of him would arrive: 8.41 centimeters. As the rounds went by, that distance seemed impossible for the rest of the jumpers and Echevarría and Massó were getting closer and closer to achieving a historic 1-2 for Cuba.

 “I always believed that someone, especially Tentoglou, could surpass me, but that he has made exactly the same mark as me is what still has me in shock. When I felt the pain from the injury, I knew it was serious, that's why I quit a couple of times and left the possibility of jumping again only if someone passed me.

 Unfortunately for us, Greek Miltiadis Tentoglou landed at the same 8.41 meters on the last attempt of the event. “That was tremendous, but I immediately went to the line to answer.

I tried to get the extra from the champions at the end, even in my head I was convinced that I could jump more than 8.16 meters, which was what I needed to win, but the ailment did not even allow me to complete the impulse race ”.

 Millions of Cubans were left heartbroken with Echevarría, who wrapped himself around his flag to cry for a few minutes before posing for the photographers with his fellow medalists. The karma that at the time marked the great Iván Pedroso seems to be repeating itself and is the greatest example that Camagüey can follow, that of persevering until they get the Olympic gold.

 They will spend sleepless nights, days of half-happiness, months to regain their leg health, and years to take revenge. “Now the most important thing is to treat the injury so that it does not get worse and become a problem in the future. Then I'm going to be bition.

 I have dreams of records and medals and I know that I will have the opportunities to achieve it ”.

Translated by Linet Acuña Quilez