CAMAGÜEY.- The Camagüey's jumper Juan Miguel Echevarría starred in the most important news in Cuban athletics in the last month by announcing that he will place himself under the orders of the legendary Iván Pedroso to seek qualification for Paris 2024 defending the colors of the lone star flag .
“I have fulfilled my dream of joining the great Iván Pedroso's team. This would not be possible without all the work done by my previous coaches to whom I owe being here. Thank you for the journey together. And from today we will work for more dreams, the first to achieve the required mark for the #Paris2024 Olympic Games, with the desire to compete and continue giving triumphs to #Cuba,” the Extraterrestrial of La Guernica posted on his social networks.
The announcement by the native of Camagüey, accompanied by the photo in which he appears with Pedroso in Madrid, Spain, was well received by the sports authorities in Cuba.
The vice president of the Cuban Athletics Federation, María Caridad Colón, told the digital newspaper JIT that “just as we respect his decision to try new paths, we applaud his willingness to return to our national team. We know his ability to deliver, and we know that with good concentration he can rediscover his best form, motivated by the desire to achieve the mark for the upcoming games.”
On the other hand, the National Athletics Commissioner, Rolando Charroo, declared that “we are also pleased that he projects his work alongside that glory of Cuba that is Iván Pedroso, and we will support from within our reach any step linked to his presence in Paris 2024.” .
The alliance with the Grasshoppers, starter under the five rings in Sydney 2000 and one of the best coaches of the specialty in the world, fills with hope the followers of Cuban sport, who see in Echevarría the only one capable of seeking the world record of long jump (8.95 meters), held by the American Mike Powell since 1991.
Juan Miguel has a personal best of 8.68 meters, achieved in Germany in 2018, the year in which he won the World Indoor Championship in England.
At the moment, it is known that both are already working in the Madrid community of Guadalajara to achieve physical fitness that will allow them to reach 8.27 meters, the qualifying mark for the meeting in the French capital.
Given the athletic quality of the Tokyo 2022 Olympic runner-up and the ability of his new coach, few doubt that in approximately a month that goal will be met. It will be the first step towards this new dream.
Translated by Linet Acuña Quilez