• Submitted by: manso
• Sports
• 07 / 21 / 2011

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By: Abdul Nasser Thabet. Cuban pole-vaulter Lazaro Borges won gold on Monday at the 14th Gran Premio Excelentisimo Ayuntamiento de Avila and the Fifth Trofeo Caja de Avila, in Spain, with a jump of 5.72 meters, guarantying his participation in the Track and Field World Championships to take place in Daegu, South Korea, from August 27 to September 4.

With this 5.72-meter jump, Borges set a new national record and moved up to 14th overall in the world raking.

Other Cuban athletes who won gold in Spain were pole-vaulter Yarisley Silva, with a jump of 4.55 meters; and triple jumper Alexis Copello, with a jump of 17.68 meters.

With this excellent jump and the recent injury French star Teddy Tamgho (leader of the current season with 17.91), Copello may find an easy way through the Diamond League and things may be even easier for him at the World Championships.

Cuban triple jumper Yoandri Betanzos won silver with a mark of 17.23 and also qualified for the World Championships; followed by Cuban David Girat who took the bronze medal with a jump of 16.95.

The 13th World Championships in Athletics will be held from August 27 to September 4 in Daegu, South Korea.

Located in the heart of the south eastern region of the Korean Peninsula, Daegu is a major transportation hub for the country. Daegu has chosen 'Dream, Passion, and Challenge' as the motto for the World Championships in Athletics, and 'Sprint Together for Tomorrow' the slogan that captures the competitive spirit and sense of solidarity within the IAAF Family.

The IAAF World Championship Daegu 2011 will be staged in Daegu Stadium which is a time tested facility as it was also the host venue of the highly successful 2002 FIFA World Cup, the 22nd Summer Universiade (2003), and the Colorful Daegu Pre-Championship Meeting, which has been held annually since 2005. Moreover, the tracks of this stadium were certified as class 1 by IAAF in 2003.

The Teflon roof, which resembles the thatched roofs of the traditional Korean houses, provides natural light and an optimal viewing environment. Furthermore, the high-definition electronic signboard and the application of state-of-the-art technology will enable the spectators to watch the Championships with utmost excitement from any seat in the stadium almost instantaneously.

The sports complex will consist of preparatory stadiums, including a stadium only for throwing events near the main stadium, which will promote the improvement of the athletes’ performance, as well as state-of-the-art facilities, such as the Athletics Promotion Center and a baseball stadium.

In other news, Catalan authorities announced that the17th Barcelona International Track and Field Meet could host another electrifying duel between Cuban Olympic champion and world record holder in the 110-meter hurdle Dayron Robles and the current leader of the specialty, US David Oliver (12:94), on Saturday.

The news could be just an attempt to bring attention to the event, but has nevertheless created great expectations. Robles set the current record of this event, 12:91, days before his Olympic Gold Medal triumph in Beijing 2008.

The Cuban sprinter must take part in the 11th and 12th stops of the Diamond League (July 29 in Stockholm, Sweden and August 5 in London, England) before participating at the Daegu 2011 World Track and Field Championships.

Robles has never won an outdoors World Championships, so this will be a great opportunity to do so for the first time.

Source: JR