Yarisley Silva flew to 4.60 m in her last test on Cuban soil before traveling to Europe. (Photo: Prensa Latina; Doha 2019)
Havana, June 12 (RHC)-- The garrochista Yarisley Silva flew to 4.60 m in her last test on Cuban soil before traveling to Europe to polish her competitive preparation for the Tokyo Olympics.
World outdoor champion in Beijing-2015 and Olympic runner-up in London-2012, Silva was highly motivated on Saturday morning at the Pan American Stadium in eastern Havana, as she attempted 4.71, after concreting her top of the year (4.60) in her second attempt.
"I am happy. After more than a year without competing I have started again with 4.50 after several competitions without finding my best form," Yarisley, 34 years old, who will be in Tokyo for her fourth Olympic Games, told Radio Habana Cuba.
She confessed that she felt "a little tense," but assured that she enjoys competing and "now I feel more confident." "I'm going all out for Tokyo. The level has gone up, but that makes me more excited," added the stellar figure of Cuban athletics, also world indoor champion in Sopot-2014.
Until this Saturday, her best result in Cuba had been the 4.50 she achieved last May 29 in the same facility in eastern Havana.
Yarielsy, also world bronze medalist in Moscow-2013 and London-2017, travels this Saturday night to Europe together with her trainer Alexandre Navas and another group of athletes from the island qualified for Tokyo, who will hold as preparation several preparatory competitions.
"The preparation is going well. We are in the eighth week of preparation, because as you all know we were stopped for a month because Yarisley suffered the Covid. And today (Saturday) we leave for Europe to hold 3 or 4 competitions," said her coach Alexandre Navas.
"She is an experienced athlete and quickly adapts to her level", argued the professor and considered that Tokyo will be an even fight, where she should win with around 4.90 m.
"It will be her last Olympic Games and we are doing everything possible so that she can be on the podium," he concluded.
With her jump on Saturday, she placed 17th on the world list, which is headed with 4.93 m by American Katie Nageotte, her escort on the podium at the Lima-2019 Pan American Games, where the Cuban won her third continental gold in a row.
