Omara Durand Honored with Honorary Doctorate in Sports Science from the University of Oriente

On Sunday, the acclaimed Paralympic champion Omara Durand Elías was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Sports Science at the University of Oriente's Theater in Santiago de Cuba. This ceremony celebrated her remarkable career in sports and her dedication to advocating for the inclusion of individuals with disabilities.

Durand Elías, visibly moved during the event, expressed her gratitude to all the coaches who contributed to her development as an athlete throughout her career.

"Receiving this academic honor today strengthens my commitment to the disabled community within the national and international Paralympic movement," stated the athlete from Santiago, according to the Cuban News Agency.

Highlighting her current leadership role, Durand added, "As the president of the Cuban Paralympic Committee, I am dedicated to promoting the inclusion of individuals with disabilities into society through sports, which serves as a powerful educational tool," the source reported.

In a heartfelt moment, Durand paid tribute to her hometown, saying, "To my Santiago de Cuba, thank you for watching me grow and always welcoming me with open arms."

Diana Sedal, the rector of the University of Oriente, led the ceremony and emphasized the significance of this honor for the institution, which has nurtured a tradition of sports and comprehensive education for over 55 years through the "Mambises" Interfaculty Games. Sedal remarked that Omara brought "all possible joy" to her homeland; "she is an athlete who wins medals and also wins the hearts of her people," she expressed.

The rector concluded her speech with a phrase that encapsulated the spirit of the event: "Thank you, Durand, for showing us that the extraordinary is not just reaching the finish line, but daring to run toward it with heart and country as your shield."

Durand's impressive record, acknowledged during the ceremony, includes 11 gold medals in Paralympic Games, 14 in World Para Athletics Championships, and 12 in Parapan American Games, along with outstanding performances in Grand Prix and other international competitions.

Among her individual accolades, she was recognized as Cuba's best athlete in disabled sports in 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2023. Additionally, she was ranked seventh among the top 50 sports moments of 2015 by the International Paralympic Committee, the press noted.

Born on November 26, 1991, in Santiago de Cuba, Durand competes in the T12 classification for athletes with severe visual impairments. She began her Paralympic journey at the Beijing 2008 Games without securing a medal, but from London 2012 onward, she achieved historic results in four consecutive editions, including a remarkable triple crown at Rio 2016, where she set a world record in the 100 meters with a time of 11.40 seconds.

In Paris 2024, she concluded her illustrious career by securing her tenth and eleventh Paralympic titles, shortly after which she announced her retirement from active sports, expressing a desire to study, spend time with family, and embark on new projects.

In 2024, President Miguel Díaz-Canel awarded her the Honorary Title of Hero of Labor of the Republic of Cuba through Presidential Decree No. 936. In July 2025, she welcomed her second daughter, Liz Allison Vicet Durand, at Ramón González Coro Hospital in Havana.

This Honorary Doctorate in Sports Science adds to a long list of national and international accolades that cement Omara Durand as Cuba's most successful Paralympic athlete and one of the world's most dominant visually impaired sprinters.