• Submitted by: manso
• Sports
• 11 / 10 / 2010

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By Harold Iglesias, Special for Cubasí. Winning is the maximum expression in sports, because beyond the fraternal exchange among athletes, its essence is competitiveness. Especially in time and mark disciplines where, besides the rivals, you compete with times and distances.

It's really encouraging to know that in the mind of the 110m hurdles Olympic champion and world record holder, Dayron Robles, the maximum inspiration is to know himself victorious in whatever competition he shows up. Calm, talkative and full of energy, we were together in the start line:

"My aim now more than never is to win, no matter the rivals. I feel calm, beginning the second mesocycle with a view to the next winter season. Right now I am working on the strengthening of all the muscular planes, as much those that have always been excellent as those that have caused me difficulties".

Motivations?

Many, my teammates and me are very encouraged, especially because of the fact of having the best trainer chosen by the IAAF this 2010, Prof. Santiago Antunez. Now we should think about our constant improvement, reflected in our results. It?s the best way to reward his huge confidence in us and to show our respect. He?s like an injection of positive energy for the group.

How are the charges going?

So far everything goes as planned, without troubles. Two daily sessions of two hours or more, shaping the technical elements in the morning and working on the physical development and strength in the afternoons. Later, at the end, we evaluate the results of the cycle, but the aim is to do five or six races in the winter season.

Precisely on March 4 this year, the athlete from Guantánamo won the crown at the World Indoor Championship in Doha, Qatar, where he his mark of 7.34 seconds became a record for these competitions. Surely, repeating that time is one of the incentives that keep him focused every day, from shortly after 9:00 am when he starts the day with a comprehensive warm-up and stretching before going to differentiated exercises with the hurdles and purely technical matters.

Attacking the obstacles

Once warmed up, we started to come closer to 13 seconds and attacked the fifth hurdle together:

Where does Dayron's main strength as a hurdler stem from?

Maybe I am not the fastest, nor the one of the best physique, nor the most technical, but I do think that I have the capacity of gathering a bit of each element to be a good runner. And my potentialities lie in that balance. For example, if you manage to be the second in all those matters, you are the best when you make a general balance.

Do you think about further lowering the world record of 12.87?

It always goes round and round in my mind. To me all the preparation of one year becomes a realty in a perfect race and a unique time derives from it. I do not seek records, but always wish to make a splash.

Lessons in your career?

The greatest lessons come after a bad moment. Sometimes, when supposedly I have been in my best shape I haven?t managed to take advantage of it. When you win things always go well, but the deepest analysis emerged from the defeats. Then there appear the reflections about what technical elements favored me and what did not. This study is always positive.

About the North American hurdlers?

Historically they have reigned until we Cubans appeared, are complicated,very strong physically and sometimes they even tempt their rivals with their comments, but I am not afraid of any of them.

Your most pleasant race or moments?

Everybody thinks and identifies me with the gold at the Olympic Games in Beijing, but it was not the most important to me. At that time, I did not feel well. The race of the world record in Ostrava and that of the world indoor championship this year qualify as two of the greatest joys in my sport career.

Cubasi Translation Staff